A team of researchers in Germany has reported experimental evidence for the existence of a superconducting gap in hydrogen sulphide-based hydrides subjected to high pressures. Superconductivity is a phenomenon where materials conduct electricity without resistance below a certain critical temperature. Traditionally, superconductivity has been observed at very low temperatures, but recent studies have shown that certain hydrides, such as hydrogen sulphide (H2S), can become superconducting at much higher temperatures when subjected to extremely high pressures—conditions typically achieved using a diamond anvil cell. The superconducting gap is a key signature of this state, representing the energy required to break apart electron pairs (Cooper pairs) that enable resistance-free current. The new findings confirm that in these high-pressure hydrides, electron pairing is mediated by phonons—quantized vibrations of the crystal lattice—consistent with the conventional Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) theory of superconductivity. This research not only provides critical experimental support for theoretical models but also advances the search for room-temperature superconductors, which could revolutionize energy transmission, magnetic levitation, and other technologies. The study was published by Physics World and highlights the importance of high-pressure synthesis in discovering new superconducting materials.