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Supersolid helium

Stiffer but flowing

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There is growing evidence that solid helium-4 possesses superfluid properties, but the nature of this paradoxical phenomenon remains mysterious. The finding that helium-4 in its 'supersolid' form is stiffer than the normal solid adds to the enigma.

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Figure 1: Strong evidence.

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Balibar, S. Stiffer but flowing. Nature Phys 5, 534–535 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/nphys1354

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