Turning the vacuum of space into a superconductor

New Scientist : A researcher at the University of Tours in France has proposed that the vacuum of space could be turned into a superconductor. Maxim Chernodub’s proposal is a consequence of the uncertainty principle of quantum theory, which states that one can never be sure that a vacuum is truly empty. “Instead, space is fizzing with ‘virtual’ particles, which tend to disappear almost as soon as they form,” writes Maggie McKee for New Scientist. Exposing those charged particles to a strong magnetic field causes their internal magnetic field to align with the external one; if the field is strong enough, the virtual particles can become real. Such particles all share the same quantum state and form what is known as a Bose–Einstein condensate, in which they flow together as one and carry current without resistance. Chernodub’s work is due to be published in Physical Review Letters.