  In February 2014 Time magazine announced to the world that the first quantum
computer had been put in use. One key component of this computer is the
Josephson-junction, a superconducting device, based on completely different
scientific and technological principles with respect to semiconductors. The
origin of superconductors dates back to the 1960s, to a large-scale 20-year
long IBM project aimed at building ultrafast computers. We present a detailed
study of the relationship between Science and Technology making use of the
theoretical tools of presumptive anomaly and technological paradigms:
superconductors were developed whilst the semiconductors revolution was in full
swing. We adopt a historiographical approach - using a snowballing technique to
sift through the relevant literature from various epistemological domains and
technical publications - to extract theoretically robust insights from a
narrative which concerns great scientific advancements, technological leaps
forward and business-driven innovation. The study we present shows how
technological advancements, business dynamics and policy intertwine.
