It involved installing satellite-linked conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) loggers on three white whales (Delphinapterus leucas).

BBC: Whales probe Arctic fjord's secrets

"Sodium has - by a factor of 50 - better electro-conductivity, " the University's Dr Agris Gailetis told Science In Action.

BBC: Planet Earth

When the explorer drills the ice to make a physical measurement of thickness, he will use the hole to lower a 4kg conductivity-temperature device (CTD) into the ocean below.

BBC: Arctic team targets key ice data

As such, it possesses the novel mechanical properties of carbon nanotube-like tensile strength--in addition to high electrical conductivity.

FORBES: Five Technologies Set to Change The Decade

Microcapsules in the gold circuit released liquid metal in response to damage, swiftly restoring electrical conductivity, and bringing self-repairing electronic chips a step closer.

BBC: Time to heal: The materials that repair themselves

You see, it's been difficult for OLED builders to secure enough electrical conductivity of ITO in a low-temperature process, and this new methodology is perfectly suited for the coating method (which makes it ripe for printing).

ENGADGET: Resin replaces ITO in latest flexible OLED prototype

Because the two materials exhibit a high thermal conductivity, they allow the device to cool more efficiently while distributing said heat -- 25 percent quicker than the pure copper in many pieces of tech.

ENGADGET: NC State researcher finds more efficient way to cool devices, looks to cut costs too

That does not affect their electrical conductivity, but nanoscale particles like this are known to scatter and obstruct the passage of heat through imperfectly understood quantum-mechanical processes.

ECONOMIST: Solar power