A long cherished goal of physics is now within our reach! Superconducting materials will pave the way for a number of technological improvements which will be essential in exploring this galaxy.
Description
In the last two and a half centuries, mankind has harnessed nuclear fission and fusion. However, both technologies produce the undesirable side effect of radioactive materials. In addition, fission and fusion reactors are both the size of stadiums. Pons and Fleischmann, working in the late 20th century, proposed that in the lattice of certain pure metals deuterium forced into the lattice under pressure would fuse to form helium.
The theory was never proven or disproved, but in the mid 21st century, after the creation of a Casmir Effect Bubble, scientists created 'cold' fusion within the bubble. By 'cold fusion' they meant there was not the high neutron flux that eventually turned the containment vessel of a 'hot' fusion reactor radioactive. This used the attraction within the energy-depleted vacuum of the Casmir Effect to create a low level and easily controllable fusion reaction.