Ketracel_white Ketracel_white

Ketracel white - Definition

A fictional chemical substance is a chemical element, isotope, compound or mineral that exists only in works of fiction (usually fantasy or science fiction). It should be noted that no actual periodic elements end in '-ite', though many minerals have names with this suffix. Some of the materials listed as elements below may indeed be minerals, alloys, or other such combinations, but fictional works are often vague on such distinctions. Grouping is done by what seems most likely.

Contents

Fictional elements

Name Source Uses
Administratium Joke Slows down chemical reactions; a reaction normally complete in less than a second will take several days in its presence. This element is a joke, a spoof on the bureaucracy of scientific establishments and on descriptions of newly discovered elements.
Atmospherium The Lost Skeleton of Cadavera (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0307109/) An extremely rare element, abundant in outer space, which among many other uses is a power source and capable of raising the dead. If obtained and researched, it would certainly have countless benefits for Science!
Balonium Futurama, others A fictional element used to describe something as impossible or nonsensical: "Your explanations are pure, weapons-grade balonium!"
Basidiumite (also Brumblium) Eleanor Cameron's Mushroom Planet series A slightly greenish solid, twice the weight of uranium. Infragreen spectrum. Makes up the blue-green planet Basidium.
Byzanium 'Raise the Titanic' A highly powerful radioactive element transported in a safe aboard the sunken Titanic
Calculon Tintin, "Destination Moon" Discovered by Professor Cuthbert Calculus. This substance has a silicon base and can resist very high temperatures. It was one of the scientific discoveries that enabled Professor Calculus to plan a manned mission to the Moon.
Carbonadium Marvel Comics A malleable form of adamantium.
Cavorite H.G. Wells' The First Men in the Moon; also used in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Cavorite is impervious to gravity and can shield other materials from its effects. It is used to shield a craft from Earth's pull, allowing easy flight. It was named after its discoverer, Mr. Cavor, who used its levitational properties to travel to the Moon.
The Colour Out of Space H. P. Lovecraft's horror tale "The Colour Out of Space" First identified in a meteorite that lands in a farmer's field, it has a distinctive colour not found in nature. An alkaline metal, it is highly toxic and somewhat mutagenic.
Dalekanium Doctor Who A metal used by the Daleks in the manufacture of extremely powerful bombs. Depleted Dalekanium is also used in their armor.
Dilithium Star Trek A reddish-orange crystal capable of moderating matter-antimatter annihilations, used in the reactors of many species' starships and a key system of faster-than-light warp drives. Unrelated to the real-life element lithium.
Froonium Farscape A substance created by series producer Richard Manning while he still worked on Star Trek to represent any esoteric material. Appeared in Farscape as an in-joke in several episodes. Manning's Fandom nickname is "Froonium Ricky".
Illudium Phosdex Looney Tunes Also known as the shaving cream atom, it was found only on Planet X, which was unfortunately destroyed when both Duck Dodgers and Marvin the Martian tried to conquer it for Earth and Mars.
Illudium Q-36 Looney Tunes Used by Marvin the Martian as a planet-destroying explosive.
Jumbonium Futurama Each atom of this element is large enough to be easily visible to the naked eye, with marble-sized nucleons and electrons.
Kryptonite DC Comics Crystalline material - green or other colours, each with their own effect - harmful to Kryptonians and created during the destruction of Superman's home planet Krypton; synthesis is also possible. An Action Comics story by John Byrne established it to be element 126 on the periodic table of elements.
Lux Arcot, Wade, and Morey stories by John W. Campbell Material created from light; indestructable and transparent. Used in the hull of the heroes's spaceships. See also Relux.
Mithril Middle-earth, several video games and role-playing games A light, silvery metal that is as strong as steel, but very light and easy to work. While mithril has properties similar to those of titanium or aluminium alloy, the fact that it was mined in native form in Moria suggests it has no direct real-world analogue. It is used for making superb chain-mail armour and other means of protection. It can also be worked into other forms (much as iron ore can be used to make various grades of iron and steel) with unusual properties (reflecting only the light of the moon, for instance). An alternate spelling, "Mythril", appears in the video game series Final Fantasy with basically the same properties as mithril.
Narrativium The Science of Discworld and The Science of Discworld II: The Globe An element unique to the Discworld; proto-substance from which all things spring forth. It is the fundamental element of Story, and is how things know what they're meant to be.
Octiron Discworld A dense black metal that is a large part of the Discworld's crust. It is highly magical with a melting point above the range of metal forges. The gates of Unseen University are made out of it. A needle made of octiron will always point to the Hub, the centre of the Discworld's magical field; it will also darn its owner's socks by itself. The University tower bell ("Old Tom") is made of it, and rings audible silences. Coin's staff in Sourcery was made out of it. In it's natural state it releases considerable quantities of magical radiation, but if it becomes negatively polarized, it can be used to absorb such radiation. Octiron under pressure generates significant amounts of heat, which accounts for most of the volcanic geological processes on Discworld (At least, that's what UU thinks on the matter).
Octogen Discworld A gas of otherwise unknown nature, it continously releases a considerable amount of magical radiation.
Omega Star Trek: Voyager An unstable and vastly dangerous molecule capable of destructive explosions that also disrupt subspace, making warp travel impossible.
Orichalcum Mythology (Atlantis) A reddish metal mined in Atlantis, used to make structures and walls. May be based on an actual mineral or gold/copper alloy, possibly Auricupride.
Oxyale Final Fantasy I A strange liquid that produces oxygen. Used to breath underwater.
Phostlite Tintin, "The Shooting Star" Discovered by Professor Decimus Phostle. Exposure to this element causes living things to grow rapidly to enormous size.
Plutonite Oakley Oakley uses this name for the polycarbonate lenses in their sunglasses.
Promethium Excalibur A magical metal known only to the pocket dimension Limbo. Limbo contains only one deposit of this metal, its "heart," and would collapse without it. Coveted by Doctor Doom as an infinite energy source for his kingdom of Latveria. Not to be confused with the real element Promethium.
Protonite Piers Anthony's The Apprentice Adept series A mineral found only on the planet Proton, it was used throughout the galaxy as a powerful energy source. On Proton's magical alternate world, Phaze, it was Phazite, the source of magic energy.
Quantium-40 Babylon 5 An element essential to the functioning of jumpgates. According to the Unofficial Babylon 5 Technical Manual (http://www.midwinter.com/b5/b5.tech), the rare and expensive substance is formed when ordinary matter is subjected to the stresses of a star going nova, pushing some of its electron pair-bonds into hyperspace. Any element can become a quantium; the most commonly-found form is derived from an isotope of potassium with an atomic weight of 40, hence Quantium-40. The name was coined by a member of GEnie's Science Fiction RoundTable, David Strauss, in response to a request from the show's creator.
Relux Arcot, Wade, and Morey stories by John W. Campbell Material created from light; indestructable and totally reflective. Used in the hull of the heroes's spaceships, among other things. See also Lux.
Supermanium DC Comics "The strongest metal known to science!...forged by him (Superman) from the heart of a mighty star!" Apparently doesn't exist post-Crisis on Infinite Earths.
Thyrium Matthew Reilly's Temple This element came from a meteor and was used in a doomsday bomb.
Trilithium Star Trek In crystalline form, capable of moderating matter-antimatter annihilations. In amorphorous or glassy form, capable of extinguishing nuclear reactions on a large scales, such as the fusion core of a star (thus causing a supernova). As a resin, a powerful explosive, and highly toxic to life.
Turbonium Volkswagen Commercial The focal point of the first commercial for the turbo-charged version of the New Beetle. In theory, it was the element from which the turbo version of the car was forged.
Unobtainium The Core, many thought experiments Unobtainium is really any material that is unobtainable (for example, titanium was called "unobtainium" during the '60s within American aerospace due to the Soviets' cornering the market); although it can be that it possesses properties that are unlikely or impossible for any real material to possess and is hence completely unobtainable. It is also an informal name for an improbably strong material found in works of science fiction, only used explicitly in The Core. It is typically used to fill a plot hole, allowing characters to do things that may not be physically possible even in principle; thus a possibly more correct term is "handwavium."
Upsidaisium The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show Upsidaisium is a metal that is lighter than air and can be obtained by mining in upsidaisium-rich areas.
Uridium Uridium-computer game, 1986 Uridium was a sci-fi shoot-'em-up game for the Commodore 64 (and other 8-bit machines). Each level was named after a metal element; iron, gold, mercury, and so on all the way up to uridium. The sleeve notes cited one of the developers: "I really thought it existed".
Vibranium Marvel Comics An extraterrestrial metal that exists in two forms. Wakandan vibranium absorbs vibrational energy (e.g. sound). The more energy it stores the tougher it becomes, due to the energy reinforcing its molecular bonds. If the bonds are broken, all the energy is released, causing an explosion. It is found only in the African nation of Wakanda, ruled by the Black Panther. The other form, Antarctic vibranium, emits a vibration that separates the bonds of other metals, liquifying them.
Vik-ro Carson of Venus by Edgar Rice Burroughs One of the two components of Lor (see below), which when combined with Yor-san results in total annihilation of the Lor, releasing tremendous energy.
X E. E. Smith's Skylark of Space series Mysterious platinum-group metal which, when plated upon another metal such as copper, allowed that other metal to be converted entirely from mass into energy in the presence of the radiation of DuQuesne's "whatsitron".
Yor-san Carson of Venus by Edgar Rice Burroughs One of the two components of Lor (see below) which when combined with Vik-ro results in total annihilation of the Lor, releasing tremendous energy.

Fictional isotopes of real elements

Name Isotope of Source Uses
Quadium Hydrogen The Mouse that Roared Common hydrogen has one proton, one electron, and no neutrons. Deuterium and tritium have, respectively, one and two neutrons per atom, and are used for hydrogen bombs. Quadium, following logic, must have three neutrons, and is, in the story, capable of blasting an entire continent off the face of the Earth.
Plutonium-186 Plutonium The Gods Themselves An isotope of plutonium which is too unstable to exist in our universe but which exists naturally in parallel universes whose strong nuclear forces are more intense.
Curium-82 Curium Brødrene Dal og Spektralsteinene Although this isotope could never actually appear anywhere, as all Curium has at least 96 protons, it is used in the Norwegian film 'Brødrene Dal og Spektralsteinene' as a McGuffin. Professor Slatters claims that with it he can find a cure/vaccine for the common cold, and he and the Dal brothers go on an expedition to search for a meteorite with a sufficient amount of it. They do find one, although it is there alloyed with 'Umulium' (loosely translated from Norwegian: 'Impossibilium'), making the Curium-82 unobtainable.

Fictional applications of real materials

Name Source Uses
Aluminum Star Trek Transparent metal used for enclosing whale tanks (not entirely inaccurate now with the development of transparent alumina)
Cermet Final Fantasy XI Super-hard material used to build structures, armor and weapons.
Dolomite Futurama Exaggerated properties thereof in one episode, in reference to the movie Dolemite.
Fullerene Schlock Mercenary Molecular carbon nanotubes which in Schlock Mercenary can be woven into personal armor and strengthened with energy ("powered fullerene") for a high degree of protection against projectiles.
Gold Various RPGs Used to make weapons and armor, often superior in strength to bronze or silver, despite gold's high malleability (in reality, pure gold can be dented with a fingernail). Magic is often involved.
Iron Discworld, The Boggart, et cetera. Is completely and totally immune to magic, in much the same way as lead is resistant to radiation. In Celtic mythology and in many fantasy novels and games based wholly or partially on that mythology, iron is deadly or detrimental to elves and/or fairies. (See Fairy.)
Neutronium Star Trek, et cetera. An extremely dense material made entirely of neutrons, it is theorized to be the main constituent of neutron stars, held together by its own gravity. It is actually expected to decompose messily at any reasonable pressure, but this doesn't prevent authors from building space ships out of it and attributing to it various desirable qualities as armor, structural material, etc.
Quicksilver The Invisible Man television series. It is a fuel of sorts for the device used to turn the main character invisible.
Ruthenium Shadowrun (Shadowtech sourcebook) Changes color when subjected to small voltaic charge; used in the production of optical displays and "chameleon cloaking technology"
Silver German folklore, et cetera. Is proof against werewolves and/or vampires which are immune or resistant to normal weapons. Used in form of blade or bullet to combat such creatures, which led to the idiom silver bullet.
Thorium World of Warcraft MMORPG Used by blacksmiths to create powerful weapons and armour.
Tin foil Various conspiracy theorists, Signs Supposedly, one can protect oneself against government or alien mind-control rays by wearing a tinfoil hat.
Ununpentium (a.k.a. Elerium-115) Urban myths, UFO conspiracy theory culture, Dark Reign, The Core, X-COM series This material, possibly synthesized in late 2004 (http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/research/1282326.html) and awaiting confirmation in additional labs, has a slot on the periodic table, and all sorts of lore around it, as a Google search (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=elerium-115&spell=1) reveals.

Fictional compounds and alloys

Name Source Uses
Adamant Diamond a stone of impenetrable hardness.
Adamantium Marvel Comics, Samurai Jack, some fantasy role-playing games The strongest metal known in the universe of Marvel Comics. Once cast, this alloy cannot be bent, blunted, or broken. It is used in weapons, notably Wolverine's claws and various robots. Captain America's shield is sometimes said to be Adamantium, but is actually an unknown alloy of Vibranium and iron. Adamantium was discovered by accident by Dr. Myron MacLain in an attempt to recreate the shield's metal.
Agatean Thunder Clay The Last Hero, Discworld A powerful explosive, triggered by reacting with acid. It is powerful enough to severely disrupt the Discworld's magical field if the explosion were to take place at Cori Celesti, the field's hub.
Animal Spirits The Ogre Downstairs by Diana Wynne Jones The chemical appears in a strange chemistry set. It has the power to give life to inanimate objects such as a pipe, construction set toys, toffee bars, pencils, dustballs, and dolls.
Anti-Ice Stephen Baxter A form of antimatter, stable due to its superconductive properties, that releases vast quantities of energy when heated.
Archerite Star Trek: Enterprise A compound "invented" by Shran. Whilst pursuing the Xindi he claimed he was searching for the rare compound "Archerite".
Arenak E. E. Smith's Skylark of Space series A transparent metal 500 times stronger and harder than the strongest and hardest steel, used primarily for spaceship armor. It is created by molding a plastic-like clay called the "matrix" into the desired shape, then coating the matrix in a weak saline solution and running an electric current across it. Pigments may be incorporated into the matrix to make opaque colored arenak.
Azimium The Caves of Karst by Lee Hoffman Ionic complex behaving as an ultra-reactive halogen; hydroazimic acid is used to dissolve limestone in the submerged mines of the planet Karst.
Biphase carbide Ogre game Conceived by Steve Jackson as fighting vehicle armor in the Ogre game
Blackrock Ultima series A mystical mineral that can bend space and time, and is known to resist magic. It is able to open portals to other dimensions and summon creatures through them, and it is crucial to producing the Black Moongate, by which the Guardian attempted to enter Britannia. It was also how the Avatar managed to escape the Guardian's trap on the world of Pagan (and became the Titan of Ether) and how he contained the Armageddon spell by which he ascends and the Guardian is destroyed. Blackrock is used in Ultima IX to make strong armor and a Blackrock sword, though its suitability for this purpose has never previously been established.
Black Smoke The War of the Worlds Toxic gas used by Martian invaders. Spectrographic analysis shows an unusual triplet of blue lines.
Blastolene Fictional product ('highly concentrated distillation of pure cozmic essence')purportedly produced by the Blastolene Corporation, sponsors of two v-12 tank-engined behemoth automobiles, including Jay Leno's Blastolene Special.
Carbonite Star Wars Han Solo is frozen in a block of this and successfully revived later.

Not to be confused with the real explosive material carbonite

Cheddite Star Smashers of the Galaxy Rangers Made by irradiating Cheddar cheese, it enabled faster-than-light travel.

Not to be confused with the real class of explosive materials cheddites

Chemical X The Powerpuff Girls A mysterious chemical created by Professor Utonium. When he accidentally mixed it with sugar, spice, and everything nice, it created The Powerpuff Girls. Its effect on humans is variable: it can either grant super powers or cause monstrous mutations.
Cinnabryl Mystara Dungeons & Dragons setting A glowing red magical metal that temporarily halts the Red Curse created by vermeil (see below). Depleted cinnabryl is called red steel, and is used for weaponry and armour.
Not to be confused with the real mercury ore cinnabar.
Corbomite Star Trek episode The Corbomite Maneuver A meta-fictional substance - a non-existent powerful self-destruct weapon - "invented" by Captain Kirk as a bluff when threatened with destruction by a vastly superior alien vessel.
Cortosis Star Wars One of the few materials that lightsabers cannot cut.
Cosmium Invasion from the Infinite by John W. Campbell, jr. A "metal" composed of solidified light, much like Lux or Relux, but much stronger due to being made of cosmic ray photons instead of ordinary light photons. Its specific gravity is 5007.89, its tensile strength about 200,000 times that of steel.
Dagal E. E. Smith's Skylark of Space series conceived by E. E. Smith for ship armor in the Skylark of Space series. Dagal is stronger than Arenak but weaker than Inoson
Dargonite Marvel Comics possibly the same as uru.
Darksteel Magic: The Gathering storylines A type of metal that is, for all intents and purposes, indestructible. Used in various robots, machines, artifacts, and equipment.
Dens. Drac. The Ogre Downstairs by Diana Wynne Jones The chemical appears in a strange chemistry set. It causes Greek Hell's Angels-type bikers to sprout from the ground like mushrooms when it is thrown on the ground. See also Dragon's teeth.
Dilithium Star Trek Crystalline substance used in warp engines
Duranium Star Trek construction materials in the Star Trek universe
Dureum E. E. Smith's Lensman series
Duodecaplylatomate Galactic Patrol by E. E. Smith This atomic explosive attains a temperature of about forty million degrees absolute in less than one microsecond. Commonly called "Duodec".
Energon Transformers Possibly a form of compressed, solid energy. Can be found growing as purple, glowing crystals, or processed into "Energon Cubes" from mundane energy sources such as oil and electricity. Used as fuel/food by Cybertronians. Energon Crystals and Cubes are highly explosive. Exposure to concentrated energon(such as a large amount of crystals), can be hazardous to Maximals and Predacons.
Ferrocrete Warhammer 40,000 A type of concrete containing, amongst other minerals, Iron. It is unusually tough and resistant to artillery fire and is mostly used for Imperial fortifications, although some starship hulls are composed of ferrocrete.
Flowstone Magic: The Gathering storylines A type of stone which can be commanded or molded into an endless number of shapes, or animated. It is composed of millions of microscopic nanorobots.
Flubber Disney films The Absent-Minded Professor, Son of Flubber & Flubber A rubberlike substance that rebounds from impacts with greater force than the original strike. This unlikely property leads to interesting applications such as leap-enhancing shoe soles and a flying car.
Gekiganium Martian Successor Nadesico In the Martian Successor Nadesico anime series, the main characters often watch another (fictional) anime series caclled Gekigangar III. This series-within-a-series features robots built out of a supposedly indestructible alloy referred to as Gekiganium.
GND Gundam Wing Genetic on Universal Neutrally Different Alloy. a.k.a. Gundanium (not to be confused with Gundarium, a.k.a. Lunar Titanium of Universal Century Gundam. Created in high temperature plasma only formed in zero gravity, with molecular scale refinements only possible in gravitionally stable Lagrange Points. Electrically neutral and almost entirely resistant to change, it is used in the manufacture of special beam weapons and armor. Expensive cost to manufacture makes prohibts general military use.
Gravitational Atoms Stephen Baxter's Ring Atoms formed by microscopic black holes in much the same way that ordinary atoms are formed from protons, neutrons and electrons. Only exists in an alternate universe where the gravitational constant is many billions of times stronger than it is in our universe.
Hagane Vagrant Story An alloy made by combining iron and bronze. Used to make both weapons and armour. (Hagane is Japanese for "steel.")
Herculite USOS Seaview conceived by Theodore Sturgeon for the windows of USOS Seaview
Hudderite Paul Preuss's novel The Core A compound able to scratch diamond and solid under extreme temperatures and pressures. Used as drill components to drill into unprecedented depths and horizontal distances. Composed of carbon, beryllium and silicon.
Ice-9 Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut A alternative crystalline arrangement of water molecules not naturally occurring on earth for lack of a seed crystal. Has a melting point of 114 degrees Fahrenheit, and turns all water it comes into contact with into ice-nine. Not related to the real-world ice-IX.
Illyrion Nova by Samuel R. Delany Mixture or alloy of superheavy elements - mined in trace amounts, found in large ingots in stellar novas - the vastly-prized energy source in Delany's space opera novel.
Imipolex G Gravity's Rainbow A plastic invented by German chemist Laszlo Jamf and used in post-WWII rocketry. Cross-links among its chemical chains can be controllably formed and re-broken, making it the world's first erectile polymer.
Inoson E. E. Smith's Skylark of Space series conceived by E. E. Smith for ship armor in the Skylark of Space series. It has the theoretical ultimate in strength possible for any material possessing molecular structure, being 2000 times stronger and harder than the strongest and hardest steel. Inoson is transparent, and of purple color.
Irid. Colour The Ogre Downstairs by Diana Wynne Jones The chemical appears in a strange chemistry set. When splashed in the eye, it causes one to fade from one colour to another. Skin, hair, nails, and eyes are all affected by the colour changes.
Kachine Ore Dragon Ball Z universe A heavy, black substance with infinite rigidity. Not hard to materialize. Named for the sound it makes when tapped.
Seen in the episode, "Out From the Broken Sword."
Latinum Star Trek A liquid which cannot be replicated or synthesized. Used as a dominant form of currency by the Ferengi. As it is difficult to properly measure liquid for currency transactions, premeasured amounts of latinum are inserted into hollow cores of gold bullion of various sizes, leading to the standard units: slip, strip, bar and brick. With the latinum removed, the gold is considered worthless.

For an exposition on the future of money and how latinum might come to be, see "Proposal for an Ideal Nano-Specie: Gold-Pressed Latinum" by Robert Freitas [1] (http://discuss.foresight.org/critmail/sci_nano/5447.html) [2] (http://www.rfreitas.com/Nano/TangibleNanomoney.htm).

Lor Carson of Venus by Edgar Rice Burroughs A tremendously energy-dense airship propellant.

"Fuel for the life of the ship was aboard; and it took up very little space, for it could all be held in the palm of one hand."

Lor "contains an element called yor-san (see above), as yet unknown to Earth men, and another element, vik-ro (see above), the action of which upon yor-san results in absolute annihilation of the lor," thus yielding tremendous energy as compared to a mere chemical reaction.

Lunar Titanium Universal Century Gundam a.k.a. Gundarium, because of its use in the famed RX-78 Gundam mobile suit. Virtually impenetrable from 120mm tank cannon ammunition, is erosion and weather proof, and has some degree of resistance from energy weapons. Manufactured in zero gravity, and, despite its name, is not made on the moon, but originally from the Earth Federation's asteroid base, Luna 2.
Kemocite Star Trek: Enterprise A multi-phasic isotope that has many applications, depending on the level of refinement. Kemocite was one of the key components in the Xindi weapon and was produced by a Xindi-Sloth plant led by Gralik.
Lux and Relux Islands in Space by John W. Campbell, jr. "Metals" composed of solidified light photons, created by condensing light so greatly that the photons are held together by their gravitational fields. Both have a specific gravity of 103.5 and are much stronger than steel, though not as strong as Cosmium. Lux is transparent and a perfect conductor of electricity and heat; Relux resembles a mirror, and is a perfect insulator of electricity and heat.
Magestone Mage Knight Crystalline substance coveted by the Atlantean Empire for technomagical experiments. Causes mutations with prolonged exposure; mutants are known as Mage Spawn.
Misc. Pulv. The Ogre Downstairs by Diana Wynne Jones The chemical appears in a strange chemistry set. When two people eat grains of the foul-smelling (and tasting) chemical, they swap bodies. The only way to switch back is to eat another grain.
Moonstone/Moon Crystal Skies of Arcadia Crystalline substance used as an all-purpose plot device in Skies of Arcadia; moonstones dropped by each different moon have different elemental properties (yellow stones are electrical; red stones are fiery, etc.) and can be used to fuel magic and technology. Moon Crystals are very large moonstones as powerful as thousands of smaller Moonstones and can be used to control the Gigas mecha of the ancient world.
N-26 Spacehounds of IPC by E. E. Smith This exceedingly high explosive is crystalline pentavalent nitrogen, i.e., it is a large molecule composed of twenty-six nitrogen atoms. It is only stable at temperatures far below zero.
Naquadah Stargate SG-1 A heavy metal used by the Goa'uld as a power source.
Naquadria Stargate SG-1 A highly unstable variant of naquadah with greater explosive properties. It can also be used for the powering of hyperspace engines. Naquadria is formed from naquada in an artificial chain reaction. The only known planet containing naquadria is Langara where large deposits were created millennia ago by an unknown Goa'uld scientist. Unprotected exposure can lead to brain damage, delusions and/or schizophrenia.
Nara Myst Novels Super hard material made by compressing rock with very high pressure and heat. Used to coat tunnels and mine shafts to prevent their collapse.
Noct. Vest. The Ogre Downstairs by Diana Wynne Jones The chemical appears in a strange chemistry set. When heated and then cooled it causes things to become invisible.
Nth Metal or Ninth Metal DC Comics the alien anti-gravity substance that allows Hawkman to fly.
Nucleon Transformers An alternative fuel source to Energon that can make a Transformer 'faster, stronger and more alive'. While it does indeed make them faster and stronger it also removes their ability to transform and slowly kills them as long as it remains in there system. It can also be used to revive dead Transformers.
Octocellulose Moving Pictures, Discworld The transparent, highly unstable, and inflammable substance used by the alchemists of Ankh-Morpork as a base to paint pictures on, thereby creating Moving Pictures
Orichalcum Shadowrun An alloy of copper, gold, silver, and mercury, a "metallurgical nightmare" that can only be created through magic. It is orange-red in color, and extremely useful in the creation of magical foci. Similar to the orichalcum of myth.
Parv. Pulv. The Ogre Downstairs by Diana Wynne Jones The chemical appears in a strange chemistry set. It causes one to shrink.
Petr. Philos. The Ogre Downstairs by Diana Wynne Jones The chemical appears in a strange chemistry set. It turns out to be Philosopher's stone, which causes base metal to turn to gold.
Plasteel The Dune books; also appears in Shadowrun Hard yet moldable; used frequently as armor.
Plasphalt The Muller-Fokker Effect Paving material.
Polydichloric Euthimal (PDE) Terminator 2 Used here as a high explosive.
Porkanium Alloy The Muppet Show The material the SS Swine Trek is made of in Pigs In Space. Parody of Titanium.
PyrE The Stars, My Destination by Alfred Bester PyrE is a Misch Metal, a pyrophoric alloy, a metal which emits sparks when scraped or struck. PyrE emits energy, which is why E was added to the prefix Pyr. It is a solid solution of transplutonian isotopes, releasing thermonuclear energy on the order of solar Phoenix reaction. PyrE can only be detonated by psychokinesis. Visually it resembles compressed iodine crystals.
Puppeteer Hull Material The Known Space stories spawned by Larry Niven A material produced commercially by the Pierson's Puppeteers for the hulls of General Products spacecraft. A huge artificial macromolecule whose atomic bonds are artificially strengthened, it is impervious to all forms of impact and to any radiation, save that in the visible spectrum (defined as visible to any of the species who are General Products customers). It is not impervious to gravity, and is slowly degraded by antimatter. Its integrity is guaranteed by the manufacturer.
Quicksilver The Invisible Man TV series Liquid that bends visible light around its surface; a thin coat of it, however, can shift UV into the visible spectrum. Also acts as a drug when in the bloodstream (see below).
Rearden Metal Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged A greenish alloy stronger and lighter than steel. Synthesized by fictional industrialist Henry Rearden. Created by Rand as a literary symbol evocative of money, industry, success, and life.
Scrith The Ringworld novels A gray, metallic substance of incredible strength, suitable for construction on a cosmic scale. Conceived by Larry Niven for the base structure of the Ringworld.
Slow glass Bob Shaw's The Light of Other Days A form of glass through which light takes a long time to travel, as much as days or years depending on how it is crafted.
Smilex Batman Poison created by The Joker, kills within minutes, leaves victims with a rictus grin on their faces. In the original script it was called "Smilenol", until the arrival of the cease and desist letter from the lawyers representing the makers of Tylenol (who were no doubt still sensitive over the cyanide laced capsule incident).
TDX Cities in Flight by James Blish TDX or "Two Dimensional Explosive" has the property of exploding only in a flat plane at right angles to the local gravity field. It is useful for cutting trees. It is a piperazohexynitrate composed of gravitationally polarized carbon atoms. Such atoms cannot move in any direction except normal to the gravity gradient. TDX also appears in the Traveller role playing game.
Tegnoid The "Dirty Pair" novels by Haruka Takachiho The "Bloody Card" is constructed of Tegnoid sheet metal. A very deadly ranged weapon usually wielded by Yuri. It is a thrown, semi-guided, playing card-sized weapon that seems to cut through almost anything.
Thiotimoline Isaac Asimov Conceived and described in a spoof scientific paper entitled The Endochronic Properties of Resublimated Thiotimoline in 1948. Thiotimoline has the property of dissolving in water slightly before the actual contact with water.
Tiberium Command and Conquer Highly valuable crystal in the Command and Conquer series, Usually green, sometimes blue. Extremely toxic and mutagenic to terrestrial life-forms. Tiberium is used as a resource for mining.
Thomasite Tom Swift, Jr. novels Material invented by Tom Swift, Jr., possessing various highly important properties depending upon plot requirements.
Transparisteel Star Wars Expanded Universe. A completely transparent metal at least as strong as steel. Used primarily for ship windows.
Transparent aluminum Star Trek Same physical properties as aluminum, but is completely transparent. A real alumina (i.e., aluminum oxide) exists, known as transparent alumina.
Trellium-D Star Trek used for insulation against gravitic distortions by the Xindi, Starfleet, and others. Causes brain damage in Vulcans.
Trillite see Yakka
Trinium Stargate SG-1 Very brittle in raw form but can be refined into a substance 100 times stronger & lighter than steel. Stargate Command has attempted to acquire reserves of it several times.
Trioxyn gas Return of the Living Dead series Gas that brings the dead back to life as zombies
Tritanium Star Trek Construction materials in the Star Trek universe
Uru Marvel Comics An Asgardian material. Thor's hammer is made of this.
Vermeil Mystara Dungeons & Dragons setting a magical red dust covering the Savage Coast area of Mystara. It causes a sickness similar to radiation poisioning, called the Red Curse.
Vespene Gas Starcraft A valuable natural gas, can releases large amounts of energy in a decomposition reaction. This makes it especially useful as a fuel for spacecraft and other vehicles that need to operate in oxygen-less environments
Vibranium Marvel Universe a sound-absorbing metal
Voidstone Dungeons and Dragons a material from the Negative Energy Plane
Vol. Pulv. The Ogre Downstairs by Diana Wynne Jones The chemical appears in a strange chemistry set. It is used as a flying powder either straight or mixed with water.
Yakka Marvel Comics a sound-sensitive metal (sometimes called a mineral). Also known as "Trillite."
Ziff Book of Mormon An unknown metal mentioned in the Book of Mormon (Mosiah 11:3).

In Hebrew, this term means brightness, i.e. metallic brightness. It is possibly a mistranslation of zinc. Others have speculated that this refers to Orichalcum, providing a link with Atlantis.

Fictional medicine and drugs

Name Source Uses & effects
Accela Serial Experiments Lain Accela is a nano-bot drug that increases the processing power of the brain, and makes its user feel that time has slowed down, i.e. that they are "accelerated". This is not to be confused with the railroad train Acela.
Altruizine Stanislaw Lem's Altruizine; or, a True Account of How Bonhomius the Hermitic Hermit Tried to Bring About Universal Happiness and What Came of It A drug which causes the user to feel emotions, pain sensations, etc. of other people in proximity. Invented to promote altruism.
Ambrosia Deus Ex Ambrosia is a temporary "cure" for the disease 'the Grey Death'. It is really a large number of microscopic pods in a liquid suspension. The pods attach to the nanobots for a while and disable them, temporarily shutting down the nanobot-induced (and eventually-fatal) autoimmune response.
Anti-Gerasone Kurt Vonnegut's Welcome to the Monkey House A liquid which halts the aging process. A more recent development, super-anti-gerasone, is purported to produce actual rejuvenation.
Blinkmoth Serum Magic: the Gathering Blinkmoth serum is created by killing and harvesting blinkmoths. It grants the user extreme intelligence, self-awareness, and understanding. It is extremely addictive.
Bliss Nova by Samuel R. Delany Gold powder found on rocks on some planets at the galactic rim. Effects appear to be heightened concentration and loss of critical judgement.
Bloodhype Alan Dean Foster's Humanx Commonwealth Also known by such street names as "jaster" and "silly salt." Instantly addictive drug derived from a tree only known to grow on a single planet. Affects entire nervous system, causing intense pleasure. Withdrawal is excruciatingly painful, and usually fatal; treatment requires total life support. It is said that an addict will gladly sell everything he or she owns, along with all body parts beyond the minimum needed to inject the drug, for his or her next dose. There is no known way to synthesize it, and the tree from which it is derived was thought to have been deliberately driven to extinction, but drug has reappeared. A large dose was used to defeat the malevolent entity known as the Vom.
Boosterspice Known Space Anti-aging drug
Buffout Fallout Strength enhancer
Cake Brass Eye "Remember, Cake is a 'made up' drug!"
Comatonin Futurama fast acting tranquilizer
Condamine SF of Cordwainer Smith Powerful narcotic; it also exists in an enhanced form, super-condamine, lethal except to those infected by the dromozoa of the punishment world Shayol.
Cordrazine Star Trek: The Next Generation Powerful stimulant used to revive patients in an emergency, such as cardiac arrest. 25 mL is usually a lethal dose to humanoids, causing hallucinations, madness and death.
Dimoxinil The Simpsons Hair regrowth drug. Requires daily application or regrown hair is lost. The name is an anagram of minoxidil, a compound which is actually used for treatment of male pattern baldness.
Drencrom A Clockwork Orange Ingredient in milk-plus, sold in the Korova Milkbar. Likely a reference to adrenochrome.
Dried Frog Pills Discworld A hallucinogen, used by the Bursar of Unseen University. The pills are carefully designed to make him hallucinate that he is sane.
Dylar White Noise Psychoactive drug supposed to remove the fear of death
Dyne City of Heroes An addictive narcotic that is peddled by more than one street gang. A stronger version, Superadyne, will provide pain immunity and induce the user with violent tendencies. Overuse of Superadyne will degenerate a user into a Troll, which makes them brainless but gives them superhuman powers.
Ephemerol Scanners Tranquilizer, used as a morning sickness remedy; a mutagen, it induces telekinetic and telepathic abilities. Ephemerol also suppresses those abilities in adults so affected.
Ethical Birth Control Pills Kurt Vonnegut's Welcome to the Monkey House Drug which totally inhibits the ability to experience sexual pleasure. Originally devised as a means of suppressing the tendency for monkeys to masturbate in public view, it was used, in combination with assisted ("ethical") suicide, to control massive overpopulation.
Excelsior City of Heroes A powerful narcotic that raises the normal physical attributes of a human, including an incredibly high pain tolerance. The street gang known as the Freakshow take advantage of the pain tolerance to replace their limbs with cybernetic implants.
Felicium Star Trek:TNG, Symbiosis Narcotic traded by the Brekkians as a fake plague cure to exploit the Ornarans by keeping them unknowingly in perpetual addiction.
Focusin The Simpsons A Ritalin-like drug
Flash Andromeda (TV series) A highly addictive drug designed for better slipstream navigation.
Formula 51 Formula 51 aka The 51st State powerful narcotic, stimulant and hallucinogen.
Gleemonex Brain Candy Anti-depressant
Happy Plant Dinosaurs (television) Euphoria
Haza Supernova
Honk, Double Honk Discworld 'Recreational' (for trolls).
Hum Hunter: The Reckoning A deadly poison spread via a water supply.
Hyper Shadowrun (Shadowtech sourcebook) Direct neural stimulator which acts on the nerves connected to the temporal and occipital lobes of the brain. Induces hyperaesthesia, a condition of excessive sensitivity to sensory stimuli.
Iocane Powder The Princess Bride by William Goldman A deadly Australian poison, odorless, tasteless and highly soluble, used by the hero Westley in his 'battle of wits to the death' with Vizzini.
Jet Fallout A highly addictive methamphetamine-like substance, taken by inhalation. Plays an important role in the world of Fallout II.
Jumpstart Transmetropolitan An amphetamine-like stimulant, taken orally in pills or smoked. Used to dilute space dust, it is known to cause constipation.
Kamikaze Shadowrun (Shadowtech supplement) A tailored amphetamine, used to increase strength, quickness, and pain tolerance.
Ketracel white Star Trek A white liquid drug to which the Jem'Hadar super-soldiers are born addicted, a genetically engineered trait to prevent their rebellion.
Kick Marvel Comics An addictive drug used by mutants to enhance their powers. Magneto (or a clone of him) became addicted to it and went on (another) rampage through New York. Later determined to be an aerosol compound for distributing an ancient primordial organism known only as Sublime.
Kickapoo Joy Juice Li'l Abner a patent medicine sold by the proverbial medicine show charlatans. Undoubtedly derived from actual Kickapoo Indian Medicine Company of Connecticut (totally unrelated to Kickapoo Indians of Oklahoma), which produced and sold patent medicine consisting largely of alcohol.
KR-3 Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said An experimental compound which disrupts the brain's ability to distinguish alternate realities. Even if they do not consume the drug, people involved in the drug user's life can be shifted into an alternate existence based on the drug user's mind.
Levitol Mallworld A controlled but largely legal recreational drug which enables the consumer to fly.
Lot 6 Firestarter Hallucinogen; telekenetic power enabler
Lotus Homer's Odyssey A plant, possibly native to Libya, with opium-like sedative properties.
Mañanacillin American Flagg! Combination antibiotic and contraceptive, heavily classified studies show long term use leads to sterility.
Magic Potion Asterix Gives the imbiber temporary super-strength. Apparently has permanent effects if one falls into an entire cauldron in childhood.
Mao Shadowrun (Shadowtech supplement) An enzyme that facilitates the rapid oxidation of adrenalin, thus removing its effects and decreasing reaction time.
Mechanics Transmetropolitan Recreational drug taken with the aid of an AI. Both the AI and the human user enjoy hallucinations; the drug causes portions of the human body to develop into cybernetic implants.
Melange Dune series a.k.a. Spice. Prescient effects make interstellar navigation possible. Addictive: whites of the eyes turn blue as a side effect.
Mentats Fallout Potentially addictive intelligence booster. Note reference to Dune.
Mimezine Wild Palms mini-series Drug giving illusion of physical reality to holograms.
Molecular Reward Half Past Human - T. J. Bass Hallucinogen. Overdose causes users to believe they are a bird, flower or mushroom.
Neuroin Minority Report Effects similar to heroin, administered intraveneously.
Omegendorph Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy A stimulating medication based on the brain's natural endorphins. Psychologically if not physically addictive.
Panadote The Dying Sun Painkiller
Polydichloric Euthimal (PDE) Outland Used here as an amphetamine compound.
Project 5 formulas The Lawnmower Man A collection of drugs designed to increase neurochemical activity and enhance intelligence. Developed and tested on animals, their use on humans is strongly contraindicated.
Prozium Equilibrium An injected emotion suppressor used to maintain social control in Equilibrium's post-WW3 dystopian society.
Quicksilver The Invisible Man TV series Secreted by an artificially implanted gland; when it reaches high doses in the bloodstream causes psychosis and fierce aggressiveness. This can only be prevented by administering "counteragent" intravenously.
Redeye Cowboy Bebop Amphetamine-type recreational drug, highly illegal and extremely valuable. Users perceive a slowed rate of time, and seem to have incredibly quick reflexes as well as other heightened physical capabilities.
Repressitol The Simpsons Suppresses unpleasant memories.
Ritalout South Park Reverses the effects of Ritalin
Sapho Dune series Plant root extract used by Mentats to amplify their mental powers; apparently addictive, and stains the lips red.
Serum 114 A Clockwork Orange Injected during the Ludovico treatment, which uses a series of violent images forced on the viewer in order to cure violent urges in criminals. (Stanley Kubrick often used the number 114 in his films; compare the CRM-114 encryption device in Dr. Strangelove.)
Sex Packets Song by Digital Underground Ingestion of a packet makes one feel as if they are having a particular kind of sexual experience. Sold illicitly by street dealers and come in several varieties.
Silver Serpent Venom Ultima A mildly toxic but addictive substance that temporarily increases the user's physical strength. Plays a minor role in the plot of the game Ultima VII.
Slab Discworld 'Recreational' (for trolls). Technically not a fictional drug, so much as one that has no intoxicating effect on humans as Discworld trolls are silicon based lifeforms. Slab is described as being a mixture of chloric ammonium and radium.
Slappers Batman Beyond A steroid, absorbed through the skin. Based on Venom (see below).
Sleep-EX Rat Race Fights insomnia; in large doses it can cause unconsciousness in fully awake people.
Snibbo Beachcomber Wonder potion or pills capable of tackling various conditions in different programmes.
Soma Brave New World An antidepressant which is hallucinogenic if taken in sufficient quantities; developed under governmental subsidies and engineered to have almost no side effects. Large doses cause death by depressing the medulla oblongata's respiration centers. (Reference to soma of the Vedic lore, which is the elixir of immortality.) (SOMA is also the brand name of the medicine carisoprodol, a real world muscle relaxant.)
Somnambutol American Flagg! Hallucinogenic barbituate, used for both recreational use, in small doses, and riot control, where it is commonly used in Snowball 99 capsule bullets.
Space Transmetropolitan Hallucinogen, often taken in the smokeable form space dust.
Spaceoline Isaac Asimov's "I'm in Marsport Without Hilda" Medication given to prevent space sickness during interplanetary travel. Users babble, speaking in free association; the ability to react to stimuli (including sexual arousal) is reduced. The legal version is in common use, but slight chemical alterations can transform it into a hazardous narcotic.
Spank Grand Theft Auto III Narcotic
Spark G.I. Joe Erratic behavior. Lethal in excessive doses.
Spice Star Wars Mind-altering. Varities include ryll and the strongest, glitterstim.
Spice Dune series See Melange.
Stimutacs Sealab 2021 "Herbal dietary supplement", produced from all natural ingredients (99% kelp, 1% fugu tetrodotoxin other). Highly hallucinogenic, euphoric stimulant.
Substance D A Scanner Darkly Dampens the links between the left and right hemispheres of the brain, causing vivid hallucinations. Also called "Death," it is lethally addictive.
Super Mushroom The Super Mario universe - Shigeru Miyamoto Power-up object in Super Mario. Variants include power-down and 1-up mushrooms.
Synthemesc A Clockwork Orange A hallucinogen, its name derived from "synthetic mescaline", in the milk-plus sold in the Korova Milkbar.
Thionite E. E. Smith's Lensman series Highly addictive euphoriant, involved in the most dangerous illegal drug trafficking in the Lensman universe. An overdose of thionite is lethal.
Tretonin Stargate SG-1 Reproduces abilities of Goa'uld
Trinity The Crow: City of Angels
Triopenin Saturday Night Live A compound of powerful anti-arthritic spansules and antihistamines.
Tripwire Transmetropolitan Hallucinogen simulator, used and abused by sentient AIs.
Valkyr Max Payne Highly addictive narcotic that spread rapidly through New York City. Junkies are driven mad and go on insane killing sprees.
Vellocet A Clockwork Orange Ingredient in milk-plus, sold in the Korova Milkbar. Produces alertness and ultra-violent tendencies.
Velocity-9 and Velocity-10 The Flash comics Addictive drug that gives the user super-speed, created by the supervillain Vandal Savage.
Venus Drug Star Trek, Mudd's Women Drug that radically enhances the (female) user's physical attactiveness - apparently by placebo effect.
Venom Batman Highly addictive super-steroid. Increases physical performance and stamina.
Vraxoin Doctor Who Addictive and deadly drug created from Mandrells, alien monsters from the planet Eden.
Yakov's Elixir The Inspector General Snake oil
Zyme Deus Ex Hallucinogenic, eupohoria-inducing drug. Overdoses can be fatal. Recreational drug of choice in the world of Deus Ex.

See also

To be added

  • Calculon (from the Tintin adventure "Destination Moon")
  • Daturon (toxic agent, unhealthy variant of the all-encompassing "ether" of space in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's story "The Poison Belt" [3] (http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext94/poisn10.txt) -- which features Professor Challenger and the other discoverers of Doyle's "Lost World" [4] (http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext94/lostw10.txt) --; poisons all life to deathlike stupor when the Earth passes through a belt of this substance; daturon possesses some traits of a gas that's heavier than air -- concentrates first in lower regions like valleys or plains, inhalation of oxygen-superenriched air works as antidote -- and some traits of radiation -- can pass through hermetically sealed-off rooms and containers)
  • Imponderal (from Lewis Carroll's "Sylvie and Bruno")
  • Pattern (from the Lexx Movie 3.0 "Eating Pattern")
  • allotropic iron (used for power generation? in E E Doc Smith's Lensman series)
  • Basidumite (from Eleanor Cameron's "Mushroom Planet" series)
  • KT-28 (illegal (?) drug from Alan Moore's Watchmen)
  • Dust (Illegal drug from Babylon 5)
  • The Fear (causes fear & paranoia, from Red Star, Winter Orbit (http://www.voidspace.org.uk/cyberpunk/burning_chrome.shtml) by Bruce Sterling and William Gibson)
  • Wellstone (artifical element with alterable properties, from Wil McCarthy's (?) Collapsium, et. al.)
  • DMT-7 (From Alan Moore's 'The Courtyard'; A weak hallucinogen, which in its natural form is produced in the human brain. Trip lasts about 10-15 minutes. Usually taken before a hit of "Aklo".)
  • Aklo (From Alan Moore's 'The Courtyard'; Not an actual drug, it is a series of three words: "Wza-Y'Ei", "Dho-Hna", "Yr Nhhngr", which if heard after a hit of DMT-7, will cause the user to have severe halucinations, and subsequntly have a new vocabulary and an ability to see the world for what it truly is.
  • Acid in the blood of an Alien (- I've never seen anything like that, except molecular acid... - Wonderful defense mechanism. You don't dare kill it)
  • LCL- Link connection liquid (Neon Genesis Evangelion)
  • Rethban - Rethban Ore is named after the man who first found it, Bart Rethban. When smelted it's not as strong as iron, but its ore has a dark, flat color that some scribes use in their dyes. A quest item in World of Warcraft.
  • Second definition of Orichalcum: One of the Five Magic Materials. Sun-gold, which, mixed with steel, creates a powerful alloy that can withstand everything, and is used by the Solar Exalted in their weapons and Artefacts (From the Roleplaying game "Exalted")
  • Moonsilver: Five Magic Materials. Also known as Lunargent. A silvery substance which is mutable by the Exalt currently attuned to it. Allows armour to move with greater freedom, and weapons to bend and strike at weak spots. (From the Roleplaying game "Exalted)
  • Soulsteel: Five Magic Materials. A black metal alloyed with souls. Forged into weapons and Artefacts by the denizens of the Underworld. The souls used to create this alloy can be seen in the surface of items made from it. (From the Roleplaying game "Exalted")
  • Starmetal: Five Magic Materials. Meteoric Iron, crafted from the essence of dead gods and thrown from Heaven unto the earth. This material is used in artefacts that must foresee the future, and armour made from it will grow thicker where it predicts a strike will land (From the Roleplaying game "Exalted")
  • Jade: The weakest of the Five Magic Materials. Comes in five different colours, representing the five elements Air (blue), Earth (white), Fire (red), Water (black) and Wood (green).

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