After 80 Years of Prophecy, Harvard Scientists Made ‘Metallic Hydrogen’ Real

Metallic Hydrogen – which, up to now is only found in scientific theories, now turned out to be real – thanks to the breakthrough of Harvard scientists.

Nearly eight decades after scientists theorized it, a team of scientists from Harvard University has succeeded in developing the bizarre “Metallic hydrogen” in the laboratory. The scientists, in their recently published paper, have claimed to successfully develop the most valuable and rarest materials of the world – ‘atomic metallic hydrogen’, which can transmit electricity even at the lowest temperature.

Metallic hydrogen is a weird form of degenerated matter that is capable of conducting electricity even at stumpy temperatures. Degenerated matter is a segment of hydrogen in which metallic hydrogen acts like an electrical conductor and it is almost 80 years earlier when the physicists theorized its existence. Now after such a lengthen period, a team of Harvard scientists claims to develop it in their lab. Scientists, in a revolutionary breakthrough successfully managed to develop the indefinable, electrically conductive hydrogen by clutching it to extremely high forces between two ultrapure diamonds.

Two scientists, named as Eugene Wigner and Hillard Bell Huntington predicted the existence of Metallic Hydrogen in 1935. As per the theory, the existence of metallic hydrogen might found in form of liquid at high pressure and temperatures, rather than a solid. It is also predicted to be capable of conducting electricity at lowest temperatures. In addition, the researchers also predicted it to be presented in large amounts in the gravitationally dense interiors of the celestial bodies like Jupiter, Saturn, and in some exoplanets too.

However, after almost a century after its theorization, back in October 2016, scientists claimed to observe the presence of metallic hydrogen in the laboratory at a force of nearly 495 gigapascals (4,950,000 bars; 4,890,000 atm; 71,800,000 psi). Now, in January 2017, a team of scientists at Harvard University published a new study report, according to which, they have successfully made the first creation of metallic hydrogen in a laboratory, by drawing upon a diamond anvil cell.

Hypothetically, the invention of metallic hydrogen can transform some topmost industries like space, electronics, magnetic and transportation. The employment of metallic hydrogen can be effective for capping the energy problems of the world; as well as usher a revolutionary era of interstellar exploration. As the material can be used as a superconductor at room temperature, its employment can make the distribution of electricity more efficient.

Co-led by Isaac Silvera, Harvard Professor of Natural Sciences, the research paper was published in the journal Science. As mentioned in the research paper, two physicists from Harvard University finally have been successful in developing that material – what up to now was believed to be impossible. By transferring simple hydrogen atoms into metallic hydrogen, the researchers marked the initiation of a new scientific era. The invention is also expected to revolutionize the rocket fuel and space industry.