Superconductivity is one of the most remarkable and potentially useful phenomena ever discovered --- the ability of a material to carry electrical current without any loss of energy by heating was an amazing and unexpected observation first made almost 100 years ago. The mysterious behavior of superconductors was finally explained 50 years ago by researchers at the University of Illinois, led by two-time Nobel Laureate John Bardeen.

However, in the last few decades several new classes of superconductors have been discovered that exhibit even more exotic properties and even greater potential for technological impact. These "unconventional superconductors" are once again challenging our understanding of condensed matter physics and the quantum world and may revolutionize our lives through energy transmission, secure communication, medical imaging, and quantum computing.

In this talk, I will describe our quest to characterize the extraordinary and puzzling properties of the new superconductors and "zoom in" to the quantum world that holds the key to understanding and exploiting them.