They're wired for success.

Byline: Tom Spoth

Feb. 13--DEVENS, Mass. -- American Superconductor's technology can propel a magnetically levitated train to speeds of more than 300 mph, create a motor for a Navy ship that is smaller by two-thirds but generates the same amount of power, and stabilize the voltage in power grids to prevent dreaded blackouts.

It's all done with wires.

Superconducting wires.

AMSC founder and CEO Greg Yurek, then an MIT professor, started it all in 1986 when he made a critical discovery.

At the time, superconductor technology had already been around for nearly a century. However, to become a superconductor, a piece of metal had to be cooled to a frigid 20 degrees Kelvin -- near absolute zero, and more than 400 degrees below zero …

They're wired for success.

Byline: Tom Spoth

Feb. 13--DEVENS, Mass. -- American Superconductor's technology can propel a magnetically levitated train to speeds of more than 300 mph, create a motor for a Navy ship that is smaller by two-thirds but generates the same amount of power, and stabilize the voltage in power grids to prevent dreaded blackouts.

It's all done with wires.

Superconducting wires.

AMSC founder and CEO Greg Yurek, then an MIT professor, started it all in 1986 when he made a critical discovery.

At the time, superconductor technology had already been around for nearly a century. However, to become a superconductor, a piece of metal had to be cooled to a frigid 20 degrees Kelvin -- near absolute zero, and more than 400 degrees below zero …