For decades, scientists have dreamed of turning hydrogen, the lightest element, into metal.

Now, in a mind-blowing act of modern-day alchemy, scientists at Harvard University have succeeded in creating a small amount of metallic hydrogen.

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Metallic hydrogen could potentially revolutionize technology.

If the results hold true, metallic hydrogen could enable the creation of superfast computers, high-speed levitating trains, and highly efficient vehicles.

The creation could also dramatically improve any conceivable electric gadget.

It could also enable humanity to explore outer space in ways that are unimaginable.

The prospects of this ground-breaking creation include finding out if the metal is stable normal pressure and temperature.

"This is the holy grail of high-pressure physics. It's the first ever sample of metallic hydrogen on earth, so when you're looking at it, you're looking at something that has never existed before," said Professor Isaac Silvera, who made the breakthrough alongside Ranga Dias.

At the moment, the small piece of metal can only be viewed through two diamonds that were used to crush the liquid hydrogen at a below-freezing temperature.

The amount of pressure exerted on the hydrogen was immense, far more than the one found at the Earth's core.

The metallic hydrogen sample remains trapped under this immense pressure.

In the next few weeks, the scientists plan to carefully ease the pressure on the metallic hydrogen.

One theory says that metallic hydrogen will be stable at room temperature.

Professor Silvera considers the theory to be very important, saying that it means that if the pressure on the metallic hydrogen is taken off, it will stay metallic, similar to the way diamonds form from graphite under intense heat and pressure but remains a diamond when that heat pressure is removed.

Metallic hydrogen could provide a form of rocket fuel nearly four times more powerful than the best alternative today.