Alex Mueller explored transition-metal oxides as a possible route to superconductivity; his nickelate attempts did not work, while cuprates did, and he received a Nobel Prize.

“That's why we're really like emphasizing synthesis superintelligence. So maybe one example to give historically is Alex Mueller when he thought that transition metal oxides might be a good”

“good path to superconductivity he was actually trying nickelates, the nickel oxygen and some uh cadions and that didn't work and then he tried cuprates, just copper copper oxygen and some cadions and that worked. And then he got a Nobel prize. But then we know that later on turns out nickelates was a good idea. I mean nickel and copper next each other on”