Superconductivity at the industrial scale

The discovery of superconductivity is 100 years old but theoretical works are still necessary: the BCS theory does not apply to the new families of high temperature superconducting materials discovered after 1986. In 2001 it was discovered that MgB2 is superconducting at 39 K, this critical temperature is not the highest but MgB2 is easy to produce and cheap. Today's highest critical temperature under atmospheric pressure is that of the HgTlBaCaCuO compound: 138 K. The complexity and the cost of cryogenic systems restrain the applications of superconductivity. The author reviews the applications of superconducting in medical imaging, particle detectors, and in the safety systems of power networks. (A.C.)