[sidlls]

A very large quantity of discoveries in science are a combination of "well, that's odd" and the "sheer luck" associated with the circumstances producing that statement.

(This isn't a commentary on the truthfulness of the superconductor claims.)

[amelius]

Yes, but that doesn't answer the question ...

[mensetmanusman]

Yes it does, the answer is both, but with the caveat that there were people focused on rolling the dice of luck to search for this.