"Capturing the Elusive 'Second Sound' of Heat in Superfluids"

Physicists at MIT have captured images of the "second sound" of a superfluid, a state of matter that flows without friction at near absolute zero temperatures, which may explain how heat moves through certain rare materials on Earth and in space. By observing the wave-like motion of heat in a supercooled lithium fermion superfluid, the researchers were able to directly see the transition from a normal fluid to a superfluid. This breakthrough could lead to a better understanding of heat flow in high-temperature superconductors and neutron stars, potentially aiding in the development of room-temperature superconductors.