Fractional vortices

Imagine you’re playing with a toy boat in a pool of water. You move the boat around in circular motions, and you notice a swirling motion around the boat. This swirling motion is called a vortex.

Now, imagine you are in charge of the water, and you have the power to control the direction and speed of the vortex. But instead of just one vortex, you can create two or even three vortices that spin around each other, like a set of roller coasters on a track. These vortices are called “fractional vortices.”

The reason they’re called “fractional” is because they’re made up of smaller parts, or fractions, of vortices. These smaller vortices can’t exist by themselves, but when they combine, they create a completely new type of vortex that has properties that didn’t exist before.

Scientists have discovered that these fractional vortices can be found in superconductors, which are materials that have zero electrical resistance. By understanding how these vortices work, scientists hope to develop new technologies that can use these materials to create more efficient and powerful devices, such as faster computers or more effective medical equipment.