Physics:Superconducting steel

From HandWiki

Superconducting steel is a theoretical concept in materials science, referring to the idea of a steel alloy that would behave as a superconductor. The term has appeared primarily in discussions of designs of hypothetical devices involving nuclear fusion,[1] or processes with even higher densities of power.

New York Times article

In reporting the results of geological surveys in Afghanistan in June 2010 in its online edition, the New York Times described niobium, whose actual major economic uses include structural steel, non-ferrous alloys, and non-ferrous superconducting magnets, as "a soft metal used in producing superconducting steel",[2] and was widely quoted, often including the phrase "superconducting steel".[3]

Two Times readers publicly contested this information, respectively labeling it as "wildly wrong"[4] and saying "There is no such thing as 'superconducting steel.' "[5] (As of October 2010), no correction to the article has been appended by the Times.

References

  1. E.g. "Bussard Ramjets" in The Bussard Ramjet – an Interstellar Drive? at BBC – h2g2 – A Forum Conversation.
  2. Risen, James (2010-06-14). "U.S. Identifies Vast Mineral Riches in Afghanistan" (in en-US). The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. https://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/14/world/asia/14minerals.html. 
  3. E.g. "Biz Brief: Afghanistan Harbors $1 Trillion in Mineral Wealth" at AOL DailyFinance, "U.S.: Afghanistan Sitting On $1T in Minerals" at CBS News.com, and "U.S. Discovers $1T in Afghan Mineral Deposits" at FoxNews.Com.
  4. Untitled, by materials scientist, New York Times "Asia Pacific", "Readers' Comments", June 14th, 2010, 2:18 pm.
  5. Untitled, by Fred Gamble, New York Times "Asia Pacific", "Readers' Comments", June 14th, 2010, 2:32 pm.