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'Kryptonite' Discovered in Serbian Mine

Posted by Zonk on from the okay-now-nobody-find-the-red-kryptonite-and-we're-fine dept.

Rubinstien writes "A mineralogist at London's Natural History Museum was contracted to help identify an unknown mineral found in a Serbian mine. While he initially thought the miners had discovered a unique compound, after its crystal structure was analyzed and identified the researcher was shocked to find the material already referenced in literature. Fictional literature. Dr. Chris Stanley, from the BBC article: 'Towards the end of my research I searched the web using the mineral's chemical formula — sodium lithium boron silicate hydroxide — and was amazed to discover that same scientific name, written on a case of rock containing kryptonite stolen by Lex Luthor from a museum in the film Superman Returns ... I'm afraid it's not green and it doesn't glow either — although it will react to ultraviolet light by fluorescing a pinkish-orange.'"

5 of 272 comments (clear)

  1. Called Jadarite by necro81 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It's being called Jadarite for the mine near Jadar where it was found. This is fairly common from what (little) I know of minerology. They note that, because it doesn't actually contain any krypton, it can't officially be called kryptonite.

    Still, couldn't they have made a push for another superman-inspired name. Some suggestions are: Jorelite, Kalelite, Metropolite, or Lutherite.

  2. Kryptonite colors by BenEnglishAtHome · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I never can keep them all straight. Green krypto made him weak, everyone knows that. But I can never keep track of all the funky stuff that happened when Supes was exposed to red, white, and all the other colors of kryptonite. Anybody remember? And was there a pink/orange version?

  3. Even more excitingly unexciting by mwvdlee · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Exciting: Contains same elements as described in fictional cartoon

    Unexciting: ...except fluorine, so actually it doesn't contain the same elements.

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  4. Even cooler is the article it links to--- by Cragen · · Score: 2, Interesting
    Even better:
    "With lengths over 11m, the giant gypsum crystals found in Mexico's Cueva de los Cristales are a great natural wonder."

    Then there's the "Giant crystal cave", which is really all ONE GEODE. (They seem to miss that in the article.) Can't see the crystals for cave, so to speak.

    Or maybe you would prefer "Man cuts off his penis in a London Restaurant" (!!!) Damned penis terroristas! Oh, wait, he cut off his OWN penis.

  5. Tesla's Secret Crystalline Material by lightmybulb · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Jadarite seems to be similar to Tesla's secret material used to channel energy from the aether in his little black box. Can anyone obtain a bit of this substance and test it for extreme intra-atomic field energies. Strange that it was discovered in Serbia knowing the history of Tesla's adventures at Wardenclyffe Station. If it IS the substance Tesla guarded so closely, it will be very difficult to find after this news article. Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.

    Some info on Tesla: http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/tesla/esp_tesla_ 14.htm