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Atomic-Scale Imaging Unlocks New Paths to Next-Gen Superconductors

Atomic-scale imaging reveals that chalcogen atoms play a crucial role in Cooper pairing in Fe-based superconductors, offering new insights into high-Tc superconductivity mechanisms. Superconductivity in quantum materials, whether the Cooper pairing on the Fermi surface is mediated by phonons or by electronic fluctuations, is fundamentally described by Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) theory....

Superconductivity Inspires New Dark Matter Contender

As traditional dark matter candidates—such as weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs), axions, and primordial black holes—continue to elude detection, theorists are exploring more exotic possibilities. Guanming Liang and Robert Caldwell of Dartmouth College have proposed a new dark matter model inspired by the physics of superconductivity [1]. Their proposal draws...
Glen and colleague at NASA, Cape Canaveral. Credit: McIntosh Family Collection

A Salute to an Old Friend, Glen McIntosh-1925-2025

As they say, oftentimes in life we don’t know what we’ve got until it’s gone. And only later, upon reflection, do we come to realize and appreciate what we had. Such is the case with my old friend Glen McIntosh. I first met Glen in about 1995, when applying for...
Dylan Temples. Credit: Dan Svoboda, Fermilab

Fermilab’s Lederman Fellows Drive Quantum Research to Discover Dark Matter

A trio of Lederman fellows at Fermilab are developing ways to use quantum technology to probe the universe for dark matter and other physics phenomena. While doing so, they are sharing their enthusiasm for their work to inspire the next generation of scientists. Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory is a leader...
The patented Cryostat-the-First (CS1) insulation test apparatus, of the original NASA CTL, in 1998. Credit: Fesmire

Remembering Dr. Stan Augustynowicz, a Cryogenics Pioneer

Stanisław (“Stan”) was my mentor, business partner, and dear friend. He was a distinguished colleague, a visionary trailblazer, and a true leader in cryogenics. Stan played a pivotal role in the Cryogenic Society of America as Director of International Affairs and Board Member, and he served as VP-USA for the...
HyPStore project team at the University of Southern Queensland. Credit: HyPStore

HyPStore’s Cryogenics-at-the-Core Vision for Liquid Hydrogen Storage

As global industries push toward decarbonization, hydrogen has re-emerged as a promising energy carrier. From aviation to long-haul trucking, hydrogen offers a zero-carbon fuel alternative that could reshape mobility. But unlocking its full potential depends on solving one of its biggest hurdles: storage. Hydrogen is challenging to contain, particularly in...

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Dewar

A dewar is a type of cryostat named after Sir James Dewar, the researcher who first developed the concept of a vacuum insulated container with silvered walls to reflect thermal radiation. Dewar was the first to liquefy hydrogen, and he created the device to store his discovery. The thermos bottle...

Stirling and Gifford-McMahon Cryocoolers

Stirling and Gifford-McMahon (GM) cryocoolers are two of the most commonly used cryocoolers in cryogenics. Both devices have a significant industrial base and operate at a wide range of temperatures and capacities. The thermodynamic cycles for both of these cryocoolers are quite similar. The Stirling cycle consists of a compressor,...

Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)

A significant commercial application of cryogenics is the liquefaction, transport and storage of natural gas. Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is generally 95 percent methane with a few percent ethane and much lower concentrations of propane and butane. LNG liquefies at 111.6 K. Unlike many applications of cryogenics, the motivation for...

Magnets

From “Superconductivity: Present and Future Applications” by the Coalition for the Commercial Application of Superconductors. Particle physics uses accelerators to recreate the conditions of the early universe in an attempt to piece together the complex puzzle of how we got to where we are today. These huge machines are used...

Energy Storage

From “Superconductivity: Present and Future Applications” by the Coalition for the Commercial Application of Superconductors. With power lines increasingly congested and prone to instability, strategic injection of brief bursts of real power can play a crucial role in maintaining grid reliability. Small-scale Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) systems, based on...

Astronomy

ASTRONOMY IN SPACE by Peter V. Mason, retired,  Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and Visiting Associate, California Institute of Technology. Pmason@alumni.caltech.edu In thinking about the reasons to perform astronomy in space, we first consider the effect of the earth’s atmosphere.  On a scale of decreasing energy, gamma rays, cosmic rays, X-rays and...

Cryocoolers

What is a Cryocooler? A mechanism that can extract heat from an object (cooler) and by doing so draw its temperature down below approximately 150 Kelvin (cryo). — (Courtesy Dr. Willy Gully) What is the difference between a Cryocooler and a Cryostat? A cryostat is any device designed to maintain...

Looking to purchase new LN2 freezer: any suggestions?

I will be purchasing a new liquid nitrogen freezer soon, but I am limited by space restrictions. The freezer cannot be more than 38 inches wide. However, it would be beneficial if the freezer holds a high number of racks such as 24. In addition, we prefer not to purchase...

Affordable flow meter to measure LN2 flow through a pipeline

I am trying to find out if anyone knows of or has used an affordable flow meter that can measure liquid nitrogen flow through a pipeline. It doesn’t need to be very accurate as it’s really to allow people in different departments to allocate cost rather than for scientific measurement....