If newly created metallic hydrogen stays stable when brought back to regular pressure as predicted by theory then eventually the world will radically change

On October 5th 2016, Ranga Dias and Isaac F. Silvera of Lyman Laboratory of Physics, Harvard University released the first experimental evidence that solid metallic hydrogen has been synthesized in the laboratory.

It took 495 GPa pressure to create. The sample is being held in the cryostat in liquid nitrogen.

If as predicted by theory the metallic hydrogen remains metastable when the extreme pressure is removed then the world will eventually be greatly changed.

Even if the metallic hydrogen had to be kept at liquid nitrogen temperatures, it could still be handled and used for the expected amazing properties.

Liquid (molecular) hydrogen-oxygen used in modern rockets has an Isp of ~460s; metallic hydrogen has a theoretical Isp of 1700 s! Detailed analysis shows that such a fuel would allow single-stage rockets to enter into orbit or carry economical payloads to the moon.

Researchers have ideas on how electron injection could reduce the pressure needed to initially create the metallic hydrogen.

Then the engineering challenge will be creating enough of the metallic hydrogen for applications.

But the key is having it exist after the pressure is taken off.

If as predicted by theory the metallic hydrogen is a room temperature superconductor [and the pressure was not needed] then even relatively small amounts [kilograms per week] of the metallic hydrogen would have very useful applications.