Did Edison Accidentally Create a Vital Superconductor?

While Thomas Edison was at work on one of his greatest achievements, he may have accidentally produced a substance that wouldn’t be isolated for another century—and it’s currently in high demand.
In 1879, Edison showed off the invention he’s best remembered for today: the light bulb, the world’s first practical electric incandescent lamp. It was a paradigm-shifting breakthrough, enabling people to safely illuminate their homes. In this design, electricity travels through a skinny filament in a glass vacuum bulb that grows hot enough to