Nature Journal Retracts Room-Temperature Superconductor Study Amid Data Integrity Concerns

Eight co-authors request retraction, accusing lead authors Ranga Dias and Ashkan Salamat of data integrity issues; it marks the third high-profile retraction for Dias and Salamat in their tumultuous superconductor research journey.

Nature journal has retracted a controversial study led by physicists Ranga Dias and Ashkan Salamat, which claimed the discovery of a room-temperature superconductor due to concerns over the accuracy and integrity of the presented data.
The retraction was requested by eight co-authors, expressing that the paper did not accurately reflect the provenance of the investigated materials, the experimental procedures, and applied data-processing protocols.
This marks the third high-profile retraction for lead authors Dias and Salamat, with preceding recalls from Nature last year and Physical Review Letters in August, leading to increased scrutiny on their superconductor research.
The retracted paper asserts that a compound of hydrogen, lutetium, and nitrogen displayed superconductivity at around 21 °C under a pressure of 1 gigapascal, a claim now undermined by unresolved concerns in the scientific community.
The recent retractions have caused debates about the editorial review process of journals like Nature and raised questions about the supervision and integrity in Dias and Salamat’s laboratories.
Critics of the study have argued that it wasn't clear whether the property truly dropped to zero resistance, or if the context was tailored to create an appearance of superconductivity. This has sparked an ongoing investigation into the integrity of Dias’s work.