--- title: "Journal Retracts Study on Room Temperature Superconductors" description: "Two years after publishing, the journal Nature has retracted what was believed to be a major superconductivity breakthrough." date: "2022-09-28" modified: "2022-09-28" authors: - name: "Maggie Harrison Dupré" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/mharrison" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/nature-retracts-study-room-temperature-superconductors" categories: - "Science & Energy" tags: - "academia" - "academic publishing" - "superconductivity" - "the digest" --- # Journal Retracts Study on Room Temperature Superconductors ![Two years after publishing, the journal Nature has retracted what was believed to be a major superconductivity breakthrough.]() *\Image: Dahi Al Saeedi / Futurism\* ## Drama Conductor Back in 2020, the major scientific journal *Nature* published what was believed to be a [groundbreaking study on room temperature semiconductors](). But now, in an eyebrow-raising twist, the publication is retracting that same research — and you could say there's a bit of drama brewing in academic circles. "Following publication," [reads the editors' retraction note](), "questions were raised regarding the manner in which the data in this paper have been processed and analyzed." ## Subtract That As the [*American Association for the Advancement of Science* explains](), the study was conducted by a team led by University of Rochester physicist Ranga Dias, who professed to have discovered what was once considered impossible: a semiconductor hydride that could function at room temperature, no cooling systems required. It made *Nature's* cover, and many believed that it would ultimately be a gamechanger for technologies ranging from electric grids to MRI machines to fusion reactors and more. But while some saw definitive results and even the future of energy, others saw some glaring issues with the researchers' data processing. Namely, as *Nature* wrote in its statement, "background subtractions applied to the raw data used to generate the magnetic susceptibility." In other words, though the study's conclusions were impressive, a closer look at how they actually got there didn't hold up. "We are of the opinion," the publication continued, "that these processing issues undermine confidence in the published magnetic susceptibility data as a whole." ## Academia Mania Faced with allegations ranging from error and carelessness to even scientific misconduct, the study's nine authors have reportedly maintained a united front in defending their research. "We stand by our work, and it's been verified experimentally and theoretically," Dias told the *AAAS*, with senior coauthor Ashkan Salamat adding that research the team is "confused and disappointed." To their credit, *Nature's* decision didn't question the study's central discovery: that their hydride experienced a drop in electrical resistance. As the *AAAS* points out, that's the key piece of the superconductivity claims. Still, it seems that there were enough holes elsewhere to cast doubt on the whole thing. If anything, this debacle stands to be a fascinating case study of the [bureaucracy that is academia]() — not to mention a reminder of the occasional side of drama that comes with it. "\[The study\] raised more questions than it answered," Brad Ramshaw, a physicist at Cornell University, told the *AAAS*. "The process of going from the raw data to the published data was incredibly opaque." **READ MORE:**[ *'Something is seriously wrong': Room-temperature superconductivity study retracted*]() \[*Science.org*\] **More on physics drama:** [*Former Particle Physicist Absolutely Annihilates the Field of Particle Physics*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've reported extensively on the rise of AI as a cultural and business force shaping the media industry, and more broadly how those dynamics are changing how we all consume and share information and relate to one another. I'm also fascinated by public health policy and ethics, the role of emerging tech in politics and governance — and the powerful people and forces at those intersections — climate change, and the environment. My investigation on Sports Illustrated's use of AI-generated authors with fictional biographies won a 2024 Mirror Award for "Best Story on Media Coverage of Artificial Intelligence in Journalism and the Media" from Syracuse University's SI Newhouse School, I contributed to Niemen Lab's 2025 Predictions for Journalism series, and I've discussed my work for Futurism during appearances on NPR, CNN, the BBC, the CBC, and more. I grew up in rural Pennsylvania and attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where I played Division I field hockey for the Minutewomen as a midfielder. Since then, I've lived in New Orleans, Louisiana and Manhattan, New York. I spend my free time running, reading, perusing archival fashion, and searching for the world’s best negroni. I also have a debonair tuxedo cat, Westley, who's named after "The Princess Bride." ### Author social links [Bluesky]()