New class of superconductors works via new mechanism
Shimojima and colleagues were surprised to discover that interactions between electron spins do not cause the electrons to form Cooper pairs in the pnictides. Instead, the coupling is mediated by the electron clouds surrounding the atomic cores. Some of these so-called orbitals have the same energy, which causes interactions and electron fluctuations that are sufficiently strong to mediate superconductivity.
It turns out that superconducting in pnictides works because of an entirely different underlying mechanic then in cuprates, the other class of 'high' temperature superconductors. This opens up a lot of new area for investigation, though I still don't hold any high hopes for useful room temperature superconductors in the new future.
Jay