[jacquesm]

It is and it isn't. It's at ambient pressure (which is something useful), and there is something very odd happening much higher up that needs to be explained. They say their sample purity is higher than the one the Korean team had, so that would normally lead to better yield and easier confirmation of the superconductivity. But since it does show the Meissner effect in other samples as well at room temperature there is a lot that still needs explaining before we can say it is a failed reproduction.

[bloopernova]

I adore stories that include the phrase "that's odd" or "something odd happens when ..."

Even if we don't get the astonishing result originally claimed by the rogue paper, it's still a triumph of science in my ignorant opinion.

[jacquesm]

And sometimes 'that's odd' leads to things larger than the original goal. You really don't want to hear those words in the doctors' office though.

[BasedAnon]

perhaps an impurity caused the effect they're looking for

[jacquesm]

Yes, that's possible and something that has already happened once before: this is exactly how x-rays and eventually radioactivity were discovered, a chance contamination.