The fractional quantum Hall state at nu=5/2: Recent insights from theory and experiment

Non-Abelian phases of matter have long inspired quantum physicists across various disciplines. The strongest experimental evidence of such a phase arises in quantum Hall systems at the filling factor 5/2 but conflicts with decades of numerical work. I will briefly introduce the 5/2 plateau and explain some of the key obstacles to identifying its topological order. I will then describe recent experimental and theoretical progress, including a proposal for resolving the 5/2 enigma based on electrical conductance measurements.