Today, scientists announced a groundbreaking achievement in materials science: a new superconductor technique that has shattered a 33-year temperature record, operating at -122°C under room pressure. On its face, this is a triumph of human ingenuity—a step closer to lossless energy transmission, ultra-efficient maglev trains, and revolutionary medical imaging. But beneath the celebratory headlines lies a grim reality: under capitalism, even the most transformative scientific advancements are hoarded, monetized, and weaponized by the ruling class.
A Record Broken, But for Whose Benefit?
The previous record, set in 1991, stood at -135°C under high pressure. The new technique, which achieves superconductivity at a balmy -122°C and room pressure, represents a monumental leap forward. Superconductors—materials that conduct electricity without resistance—have long been hailed as a key to solving the world’s energy crisis. Imagine power grids that don’t hemorrhage energy as heat, or trains that glide frictionlessly at hundreds of miles per hour. The potential is staggering. Yet, in the hands of capitalists, this technology will not be deployed to liberate humanity from energy poverty or climate disaster. It will be used to further enrich the already obscenely wealthy.
The patent system ensures that this breakthrough will be locked behind paywalls and licensing fees, accessible only to corporations and governments that can afford it. The same system that rewards pharmaceutical companies for price-gouging life-saving drugs will ensure that superconductors remain a tool of profit, not progress. Meanwhile, the working class will continue to pay exorbitant energy bills, while the fossil fuel industry—backed by its army of lobbyists—will fight tooth and nail to delay the transition to a superconductor-powered grid. The ruling class doesn’t want energy abundance; it wants energy scarcity, because scarcity means control.
The Capitalist Sabotage of Scientific Progress
This isn’t the first time capitalism has sabotaged scientific potential. The history of superconductors is littered with examples of breakthroughs that were buried or delayed because they threatened entrenched interests. In the 1980s, high-temperature superconductors were discovered, sparking a wave of excitement about their potential applications. Yet, decades later, their use remains limited to niche applications like MRI machines and particle accelerators. Why? Because the energy industry—dominated by oil, gas, and utility monopolies—has no incentive to overhaul the grid. A superconductor-powered world would mean the end of their stranglehold on energy production and distribution. And the ruling class will never voluntarily relinquish power.
Even now, as this new record is celebrated, the research behind it is likely being funneled into the coffers of private corporations. Universities, once bastions of public knowledge, are increasingly beholden to corporate sponsors who dictate the terms of research. The scientists who made this discovery may have worked in a lab funded by a defense contractor or an energy conglomerate, their findings destined to be classified or monetized rather than shared for the common good. The same system that produced this breakthrough will ensure it never reaches its full potential.
Militarization: The Dark Side of Superconductors
Superconductors aren’t just a tool for civilian progress—they’re also a weapon. The U.S. military, through DARPA and other agencies, has long been interested in superconductors for applications like railguns, advanced radar, and hypersonic missiles. The same technology that could revolutionize energy transmission could also be used to create more efficient killing machines. China, too, is investing heavily in superconductor research, not for the benefit of its people, but to gain a strategic edge in the new Cold War. The ruling classes of both nations see scientific progress not as a means to improve lives, but as a means to dominate.
This is the paradox of capitalism: it drives innovation, but only to the extent that innovation serves the interests of the ruling class. Superconductors could be the key to a post-scarcity world, where energy is abundant and free. Instead, they will be used to further entrench the power of the few over the many. The military-industrial complex will use them to build deadlier weapons. Corporations will use them to extract even more profit from an already exploited workforce. And the rest of us will be left to marvel at the headlines, while the system that produced this breakthrough ensures it never benefits us.
Why This Matters:
The superconductor breakthrough is a stark reminder of capitalism’s fundamental contradiction: it creates the potential for human liberation, but it ensures that potential is never realized. Under socialism, this discovery would be celebrated as a victory for all of humanity. Resources would be mobilized to deploy superconductors globally, slashing energy costs, reducing emissions, and freeing billions from the yoke of energy poverty. Instead, under capitalism, it will be another tool for the ruling class to consolidate power.
The left must demand that scientific progress be decoupled from profit. We must fight for a world where breakthroughs like this are not hoarded by corporations or militarized by states, but deployed for the common good. The energy grid, like healthcare and housing, should be a public utility, not a source of private profit. The fight for a superconductor-powered world is the fight for socialism—a world where technology serves people, not capital. Until then, every scientific achievement under capitalism is a double-edged sword: a glimpse of what could be, and a reminder of what we’re denied.