The Overlap Between Engineering and Science

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Topics:

(00:00:00) Eric welcomes you to the episode

(00:03:20) The rocketing popularity of superconductors

(00:05:28) The LK-99 Superconductor Breakthrough

(00:19:44) How to commercialize room-temp superconductors

(00:25:36) The value of superconductors and their impact

(00:34:16) When will Nuclear Fusion produce energy? 

(00:52:08) The overlap of engineering and science

(00:57:48) Understanding the physics behind economics

(01:03:53) How technology breakthroughs affect civilization 

(01:13:16) Predicting second-order economic effects from introducing this technology, punctuated equilibrium & 

(01:18:00) Crazy biotech breakthroughs

(01:21:47) How much of a breakthrough in the superconductor do we actually have?

(01:27:15) Where to get more of Andrew Cote

What’s Happening with Superconductors RIGHT NOW

Researchers have spent their entire careers researching room-temperature Superconductors. It’s one of the Holy Grails of material science. About a week ago, two papers were published simultaneously claiming a breakthrough – actual Room-Temperature Superconducting Materials, created in a lab in Korea.

There seems to be big drama between the scientists. A nobel prize may be at stake. Or even scientific immortality. It’s not the main story and there are many unconfirmed details, I won’t go into it here, but @8teAPi is basically live-tweeting an HBO series so follow them for that angle. 

We might be one week into a MASSIVE change in humanity, seeing the first ripples of a coming tidal wave. 

Now, RIGHT now, there are thousands of scientists all over the world working frantically to reprocuce these results, confirm theory, run simulations, and improve methodologies. It is INCREDIBLE to see the scientific base of humanity from all over the world rise as one and tackle this opportunity. Feel like a scene from a Michael Bay movie, but nerdier.

Here is what they’re working on…

Superconductors put simply

Superconductors are materials with zero electrical resistance. Normally, when energy moves between sources (an outlet to a phone battery), or over distance (through wires and power lines) there is loss of energy. Some estimates of that loss between generation and end user are 66%!! With zero resistance transmission materials, there could be near-zero loss of energy. Cost of energy could fall by one-third JUST by improving transmission. That would be great – and just the beginning.

I’m sure this description would make a Physics PhD cringe, but hey it’s my first week.

The problem is so far all of our superconductors only work at insanely cold temperatures. Those are complex and expensive to maintain, so superconductors have only been used very rarely in special circumstances to date.

Superconductors that work at room temperature would be an enormous breakthrough, making them less finnicky and cheaper to operate. We could put superconducting materials many more places like power lines, wires, computers, transportation, etc. 

Why is everyone SO DAMN EXCITED about the impact of room-temperature superconductors? So glad you asked…

Why It Matters

“If successful LK-99 would be a watershed moment for humanity easily on-par with invention of the transistor. Overnight, we revolutionize all of electronics and energy.”

-Andrew Cote

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