Alcohol - What Can't it Do? Japan Scientists Induce Superconductivity With Sake

Scientists at the National Institute of Materials Science in Japan found that by immersing iron compound pellots in alcohol such as red wine, sake and shochu they could induce superconductivity.

Superconductivity occurs when electricity passes through materials with zero resistance. Breakthroughs in superconduction will lead to Science Fiction goodies like levitating skateboards and other such devices. It would revolutionize electric motors and the energy industry. Currently, superconducting magnets are used in particle accelerators, like the Large Hadron Collider, MRI and NMR machines, and mass spectrometers.

Professor Yoshihiko Takano, Nano Frontier Materials Group at the National Institute for Materials Science, Japan, said, "The iron compound becomes superconductive by air exposure but the sample needs to be exposed to air for a few months to show superconductivity. This is a very, very long time.

"However, the sample immersed in the red wine becomes superconductive only in one day, much faster than air-exposure."