Speculative Fact #338: Supersolids Confirmed

In school we were taught about the phases of matter: gas, liquid, and solids, with plasma being a bonus. The other, more exotic forms of matter like Bose–Einstein condensates are not typically observed in nature or at least in any kind of environment we would call comfortable.
            While Bose-Einstein condensates have been called superfluids because of their unique fluid-like behavior, research scientists from MIT and ETH Zurich have witnessed the birth of so-called supersolids.
            When the temperature of atoms are dramatically lowered near absolute zero, atoms enter the same quantum state and exhibit unusual properties. The researchers were able to get their Bose-Einstein condensates to behave not only like solids but also like a fluid.  
            As writers of speculative fiction, we love our exotic materials and alloys and fancy sounding unobtanium. A material that behave as both a liquid and solid could be a needed component for some advanced device central to your story. Maybe your heroes are looking for this material, or your villains have stolen it from them.

Jonathan Hernandez