Nickelate superconductors expose nodeless gap, challenging dominant cuprate models and revealing new pathways to room-temperature superconductivity
Original framing: “Nickelate reveals nodeless gap, providing key clue to high-temperature superconductivity” — Phys.org
The discovery of high-TC superconductivity in 1986 (cuprates) was a paradigm shift, but the field has since stagnated, with nickelates emerging as the first non-cuprate class in decades. This mirrors historical patterns where breakthroughs in condensed matter physics (e.g., BCS theory in 1957) were followed by decades of incremental refinement. The nodeless gap in nickelates challenges the assumption that cuprates represent the 'end of history' for superconductivity, echoing Kuhnian revolutions in scientific thought.
The nickelate discovery is not merely a technical milestone but a symptom of deeper systemic tensions in superconductivity research: the dominance of cuprates reflects a Cold War-era funding regime that prioritized control over curiosity, while the exclusion of Global South and Indigenous perspectives mirrors broader patterns of epistemic injustice in science.
The nodeless gap challenges the cuprate orthodoxy, yet the field remains trapped in a Kuhnian 'normal science' paradigm that resists paradigm shifts—much like the mythic trickster Hermes exposing the absurdity of rigid hierarchies. Historically, superconductivity breakthroughs have emerged from unexpected places (e.g., iron-based superconductors in 2008), suggesting that the next revolution may lie in reimagining materials through non-Western frameworks or collaborative, non-hierarchical research models. The solution pathways must therefore address not just the technical gaps but the power structures that shape what counts as 'high-impact' research, from decolonizing institutions to reforming peer review and funding systems. Only by integrating marginalized voices, historical humility, and cross-cultural wisdom can the field escape its current stagnation and unlock the full potential of superconductivity.