'Kryptonite' Discovered in Serbian Mine

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.'"

The plan is almost complete!

[Anonymous Coward]

Step 2: Send email to Superman
Step 3: Build wheelchair ramp ...
Step 4: Rule the world!

Time to rename the Serbian mine?

[Iphtashu Fitz]

... to the Fortress of Solitude?

Re:

[genooma]

They probably don't want Superman to storm in and fuck up the place.

Re:

[ArsonSmith]

It's mine.

Re:

[Woldry]

Actually, the Silver Age Fortress of Solitude contained samples of every kind of kryptonite -- green, white, gold, and red -- in lead boxes. These samples figured prominently in several stories (including quite a few of the "imaginary story" variety). Yeah, I'm older than dirt ...

So...

[EveryNickIsTaken]

Kryptonite doesn't contain Krypton? W..t..f?

Re:

[Stooshie]

Technically, Kryptonite should be an oxide of Krypton (given the -ite extension). However, Kryptonite is one of then most unreactive elements in the periodic table and it is very unlikely that it exists in nature at all.

Re:

[EveryNickIsTaken]

Superman could oxidize Krypton with his laser eyes.

Re:So...

[SixFactor]

Oh yeah? Well, Chuck Norris can create a thicker oxide layer with a well-placed roundhouse kick. :D

Re:So...

[MobileTatsu-NJG]

"Oh yeah? Well, Chuck Norris can create a thicker oxide layer with a well-placed roundhouse kick. :D"

Oh yeah? Well, Vin Diesel could pronounce Kryptonite.

Re:So...

[TommydCat]

Oh yeah? Well, Vin Diesel could pronounce Kryptonite.

I can imagine that Vin's repertoire of movies is indeed quite toxic to Superman, as well as the average viewer...

Re:

[EvanED]

Only on /. would "Chuck Norris can create a thicker oxide layer with a well-placed roundhouse kick" get modded "insightful".

Actually I'm sure that's not true.

Re:

[Monkey]

Like the mighty giant sequoia, Chuck Norris does not get "old". He just gets bigger and tougher.

Re:So...

[Red Flayer]

So hardystonite (calcium zinc silicate) is an oxide of hemate?
And melanophlogite (SiO2 + organics) is an oxide of melanophlog?
How about hematite (iron oxide)? Shouldn't that be ferrite?

Minerals tend to not conform to SI naming conventions for compounds.

Re:So...

[Bloke down the pub]

What if you oxidise Sh?

Re:

[the phantom]

Um... you get shi-- Oh! you almost made me say a naughty word!

Re:So...

[bheekling]

Shi-ite [wikipedia.org]?

Re:

[Red Flayer]

Either way, if minerals were named according to convention, then ferr- would still be the root, not hema-.

Re:

[The Great Pretender]

Minerals are named according to convention just not a modern one, or organized one - well convention may be pushing it, but most are named for a reason not a random collection of letters. The hema- in hematite is derived from Greek for blood (haima), both are red in color, both contain iron as a principal component. I mean why not just call it ironite? Anyway, I'm just trying to argumentative.

Re:

[Hognoxious]

Kryptonite is one of then most unreactive elements in the periodic table

Funny, I can't seem to find it. What's its atomic number?

Re:

[QuickFox]

It's krypton [infoplease.com] that is one of the most unreactive elements. Kryptonite would be a krypton oxide.

Re:

[Skrynkelberg]

He means Krypton. It's number 36, and is a noble gas, and therefore very unreactive. Kryptonite is therefore very unlikely to exist (you haven't ever heard of "heliumite" or "neonite", have you?).

Re:So...

[Rob T Firefly]

Just as long as you don't add "tar" to the formula...

Re:

[Rob the Bold]

But it does apparently contain Jadar.

So, in Serbian mines, Jadar contains kryptonite.

Re:

[jaavaaguru]

So, in Serbian mines, Jadar contains kryptonite.

That would read better as:

          "In Socialist Serbia, Jadar contains Kyyptonite"

(AFAIK, Serbia was never a Soviet state, but was allied with Russia)

Re:

[IllForgetMyNickSoonA]

Being a socialist state (actually, Serbia was one of the republics of the "Socialistic Federal Republic of Yugoslavia", which in turn pretended to be socialistic) does not mean you need to be a Soviet state. ;-)

Actually, Yugoslavia, and thus also Serbia, had a rather strained relationship with the USSR, especially as long as the Stalin was in charge. Yugoslavia was a "block-free" state, belonging neither to NATO nor to the Warshaw Pakt, yet keeping rather good connections to both west as well as east (st

Excitingly unexciting

[tttonyyy]

Summary

Exciting: Contains same elements as described in fictional cartoon

Unexciting: Superman could use it as a paperweight without feeling like he's dying of man-flu

"Superman could use it as a paperweight"

[iainl]

That's what I didn't get in the story. In DC continuity, Kryptonite is just fine to handle if you're only human. So how have these scientists established that it wouldn't hurt a fictional alien?

Re:"Superman could use it as a paperweight"

[ScrewMaster]

It's the greenish glow. It's all about the glow.

Re:"Superman could use it as a paperweight"

[Minwee]

Unless of course it is really Red Kryptonite or Blue Kryptonite or even the Pink Kryptonite that has the power to turn Superman gay.

Then it wouldn't have to glow green.

Re:"Superman could use it as a paperweight"

[Kjella]

I thought the parent was joking. But no, accoring to wikipedia:
"Pink Kryptonite
From an alternate timeline in a 2003 Supergirl storyline by Peter David, this bizarre variety of Kryptonite apparently turned heterosexual Kryptonians temporarily into homosexuals; it was seen in just one panel, with Superman giving flattering compliments to Jimmy Olsen about his wardrobe and decorative sense. It spoofs the more "innocent times" of the Silver Age (Lois Lane is depicted in this story as not understanding what's gotten into Superman)."

So from the sound of it (there's no orange kryptonite): "although it will react to ultraviolet light by fluorescing a pinkish-orange" they have in fact, found the substance to make superman gay. Then again, the bodysuit is rather gay to begin with... or then again maybe it's just superhero fashion, he's hardly the only one.

Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

"Lois Lane is depicted in this story as not understanding what's gotten into Superman"

Jimmy Olsen, obviously.

Re:

[Ed Avis]

Indeed, this stuff is white, which means it must be white kryptonite and so harmless to Superman (tho' dangerous to plants, depending on which definition of white k. you take).

Re:

[allanc]

The Glow is also what you need to defeat Sho'Nuff, the Shogun of Harlem.

(It's very useful)

Re:

[gEvil (beta)]

Again, how do they know?

Because the scientist used it to hold down his stack of Superman comics...

Re:"Superman could use it as a paperweight"

[elrous0]

Until we test it on the fictional alien, I guess we'll never know. Knowing academia, though, and the propensity for grad students (and even older researchers) to engage in silly fads [princeton.edu], it wouldn't surprise me if someone did a paper or article on it. As a great scholar once said, you can write your thesis on Gameboy if you can bullshit well enough.

Re:

[Gilmoure]

The sociological effects of portable entertainment equipment, as exampled by top selling hardware 'Gameboy', is something that should be studied. White papers could be generated from this study and then sold to entertainment companies for lots of money.

A bridge to far ....

[ipjohnson]

Gene Hackman and Michael Caine in the same movie, I have my thesis(stands up) I can stop watching TV!!!

Around the Bend (2004)

[HTH NE1]

Gene Hackman and Michael Caine in the same movie, I have my thesis(stands up) I can stop watching TV!!!

I thought that Christopher Walken and Michael Caine in the same movie together would be a sign of the apocalypse. Then they made one [imdb.com].

I still haven't decided if I'm going to see it.

Re:"Superman could use it as a paperweight"

[Stupidfat]

Before commenting, please RTFA. I quote:

"mineral blah blah kryptonite blah blah blah they know it is kryptonite because a GIANT FUCKING SEMITRANSPARENT HEAD APPEARED IN THE CAVE AND TOLD THEM IT WAS"

Re:

[QuickFox]

That's what I didn't get in the story. [...] So how have these scientists established that it wouldn't hurt a fictional alien?

Maybe the reporters assumed that, but reporters always make wild, unfounded assumptions about science. The scientists themselves, however, carefully point out that "So far the effects of Jadarite on superheroes have not been noted by researchers [mindat.org]."

Re:

[Tanuki64]

But in the comics, long-term exposure can result in a painful death.

Statements like that does not make much sense when you don't add the version of the continuity you speak of. Kryptonite was initially harmless for normal humans. In a later continuity long-term exposure caused cancer. What it does now, after the second crisis to humans... Noone knows yet.

Re:

[profzoom]

Here's some specific examples of kryptonite affecting humans:

In Post-Crisis continuity (basically, between John Byrne's 1986 Man of Steel miniseries and either Mark Waid's Birthright a few years back or last year's Infinite Crisis, the dividing line still isn't clear), long-term exposure causes cancer, as mentioned above. Lex Luthor fashioned himself a ring of kryptonite to keep Superman at bay, but he ended up losing his hand, and eventually faked his own death and cloned a new body for himself as a resul

Re:

[HTH NE1]

Kryptonite was initially harmless for normal humans. In a later continuity long-term exposure caused cancer.

You realize that the two terms are not mutually exclusive. The passage of time in a single continuity can change "initially harmless" to "initially believed to be harmless".

However I am not fully versed in the latest and various canon. Is it a carcinogen or just radioactive?

Re:

[Smidge204]

Mostly Harmless.

=Smidge=

Even more excitingly unexciting

[mwvdlee]

Exciting: Contains same elements as described in fictional cartoon

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

Re:Even more excitingly unexciting

[Anonymous Coward]

Exciting: Contains same elements as described in fictional cartoon

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

Parent is correct.
FTFA:

"The new mineral does not contain fluorine (which it does in the film) and is white rather than green but, in all other respects, the chemistry matches that for the rock containing kryptonite."

IANAChemist but what little chemistry I had over 30 years ago says it can't be the same chemical formula if it has one less element. Thusly the article disagrees with itself and this sounds a bit like pushing things for the find to get extra attention. If we can leave out an element and ignore the chemical bonding requirements then we could sweeten our food with carbon dioxide instead of sugar.

Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

From Wikipedia [wikipedia.org]:
The scientific name for the rock was displayed on its case, 'Sodium lithium boron silicate hydroxide with fluorine'.

Since when a chemical formula uses with? Granted I am no chemist, but I've never heard a chemical formula that uses with in my high school/college years. It sounds more like a composition of two substances like how steel is a composition of iron and carbon instead of a substance with a chemical formula "iron with carbon".

Re:Even more excitingly unexciting

[Mr. Underbridge]

They likely mean it has (or rather, would have) the same structure as the fictional kryptonite (based on nomenclature). Similar compounds usually share some characteristics such as reactivity (e.g. all alkali metals react with water in a similar fashion but with differeing severity), melting point, etc.

That assumption does not typically hold for complicated compounds with so many elements. For one, there are frequently many different possible crystal structures for the same molecule which exist under different conditions, which may have significantly different structures and properties. Additionally, there are often different molecular structures allowed for different formulae (called isomers), which often have drastically different properties. Additionally, the fictional and real versions differ in that the fictional contained fluorine, a very chemically active element that tends to drastically alter the properties of anything with which it bonds for a variety of interesting reasons.

So ultimately, it would be impossible to suggest that they would share the same properties based on similar but not identical chemical formulae, and that might not hold even if they were identical. As such, the press release is nothing more than some jackass wanting his 15 minutes.

Re:

[tttonyyy]

If you wanted to deliver the unexciting version you might want to point out that superman doesn't exist

 

But then you'd be labelled a spoil-sport and various slashdotters would come and throw bricks of REAL KRYPTONITE through your windows (no Superman to save you now, eh?!)

Re:Excitingly unexciting

[QuickFox]

superman doesn't exist

How do you know? Do you have proof?

Re:

[Gilmoure]

Then how come there's all these songs about Superman? Don't hear any songs about Bat Man or The Flash do ya'. Yeah, that's what I thought!

there are, sadly enough

[way2trivial]

This outta freak you out
http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Theme-Other-Songs-196 6/sim/B000002ZBS/1/ref=pd_sexpl_s_m/103-5067299-15 70205?ie=UTF8&pf=music [amazon.com]

No wonder

[CSHARP123]

No wonder all my super powers are gone.

Re:

[blake3737]

you and me both buddy.
~Batman

PS. Have you seen any of my equipment? I sent it to "funny Man cleaners" and still haven't gotten it back yet. im going batshit crazy trying to reach them on the batcellphone, but their line just has some message with some guy laughing maniacally and talking about the end of batm.... I gotta go.

Really Kryptonite?

[ATestR]

It's been a while since I've seen the movie, but the question that comes to my mind is: "Was the box in superman Returns correctly labeled?". Perhaps it was only labeled sodium lithium boron silicate hydroxide, but someone had mistakenly identified the kryptonite as that substance. After all, why would Lex Luther steal a box containing white powdery substance... oh, wait, never mind.

Re:

[webrunner]

Nah, it's not that, he just thought it was cake mix.

Re:Really Kryptonite?

[Oktober Sunset]

Well, in the film, they come in and they check them all with that thingy (preusably some radiation detecting widget) and saw that the sample had a chunk of kryptonite hidden inside it so they had idenified the soft creamy outer substance as sodium lithium boron silicate hydroxide, but they had not analysed the crunchy centre of tasty kryptonite. Soooo, they haven't found kyrptonite, just some crap that kryptonite was once found in the middle of. Form superman 3, the chemical composition for the Kryptonite that Richard Pryor's computer screen reads is Plutonium: 15.08% Tatalum: 18.06% Xenon: 27.71% Promethium: 24.02% Dialium: 10.62% Mercury: 3.94% Unknown: 0.57%. The 'Unknown' was later worked out by Luthor.

duh

[Dance_Dance_Karnov]

of course it doesn't glow or kill superman, it wasn't effected by either the destruction of krypton or a trip through space. What exactly do they pay these so called scientists for anyway?

Re:

[aadvancedGIR]

I disagree. this counpound has not been tested on Superman, therefore, we cannot seriously say it cannot kill him.

Re:

[OnyxNoir]

disagree. this compound has not been tested on Superman, therefore, we cannot seriously say it cannot kill him.

"Pocket-protected scientists dove a car made of pure Kryptonite at a wall composed entirely of superman.."

Re:

[elrous0]

Ironic that a simple horse could do what the mighty General Zod couldn't.

Re:

[q-the-impaler]

That's because Christopher Reeve was an actor who went to Julliard with Robin Williams. What was super about him was his ability to still contribute to society as a quadriplegic.

Re:duh

[Reality Master 101]

What was super about him was his ability to still contribute to society as a quadriplegic.

Well, he was a quadraplegic with a lot of money who wanted to be cured, and thus spent a lot of money on himself. That's not as high on the respect-o-meter as someone who does things without a personal stake.

Beware!

[Billosaur]

Instead, it will be formally named Jadarite when it is described in the European Journal of Mineralogy later this year.

And somewhere on Earth, in an unknown fortress, a stranger from planet Jadar knows fear...

Re:

[ScrewMaster]

And somewhere on Earth, in an unknown fortress, a stranger from planet Jadar knows fear...

More likely it'll go something like this:

"Ship, I thought you told me Jadarite couldn't occur naturally in this system? Nevermind, forget it. Just power up the main engines and take us up, we're leaving... no point in hanging around this planetary loony bin any longer. The last thing we need are these flaky locals taking pot shots at us again with Jadarite bullets. Those things really sting."

Apparently no one reads.....

[SQLGuru]

Apparently no one reads the comic.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kryptonite [wikipedia.org]
Green, Red, Gold, White, Blue, etc.

White (the color referenced in the article) kills all plant life.
Pink (since no pinkish-orange is listed) turns people gay.

Take your pick.

Layne

Re:Apparently no one reads.....

[DikSeaCup]

Watch out, Jimmy Olsen.

Re:

[MECC]

although it will react to ultraviolet light by fluorescing a pinkish-orange.

That's the color that turns superman into a metro-sexual.

More information...

[jolyonr]

The real mineral is called "Jadarite", or at least it will be officially when it's published later this year. At the moment it has the official memorable name of "IMA2006-036" - but as the name "Jadarite" has leaked out onto the internet already, there's no big surprise about the forthcoming announcement. In fact these leaks on the internet pushed the Natural History Museum to release this press release now.

More information about Jadarite at: http://www.mindat.org/min-31570.html [mindat.org]
 
Jolyon

Nah thanks..

[kadat]

Sodium lithium boron siliaksdjalshk lajwbvbsbj? Nah, thanks, I think I'll stay with good old C2H5OH packed in a beer form. After all, few bottles of that make me a Superman too.

Re:

[BKX]

Wow, I always thought EtOH had to be in Tequila form to do that.

Re:

[errxn]

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a...drunk in a cape.

Called Jadarite

[necro81]

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 [webelements.com], it can't officially be called kryptonite.

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

Re: Called Jadarite

[Black Parrot]

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

How about a simple 'Antisupermanite'?

For sale?

[LLuthor]

Where can I buy some? Its still not on EBay!

My henchmen are already on their way to pay the scientists a visit.

They need to print a correction, Quickly!

[beadfulthings]

Everybody knows Superman's arch-nemesis is Lex Luthor--not Lex Luther.

Yahoo picked up the mistake from Reuters, people on Slashdot are typing it wrong, and now even the BBC [bbc.co.uk] has screwed it up.

What kind of poor excuse for an arch-nemesis would spell his name "Lex Luther?" Sounds like some kind of religious observance.

Re:

[elrous0]

You should see how they murder Mr. Mxyzptlk's name.

Re:

[mazarin5]

Lex Lutheran?

Re:

[LLuthor]

My minions will ensure that they pay dearly for this oversight.
*Evil laugh*

Regards,
Lex Luthor /Really! //Also have a cousin called Clark. ///Enough slashies; This is not fark!

Re:

[Jtheletter]

Yahoo picked up the mistake from Reuters, people on Slashdot are typing it wrong, and now even the BBC has screwed it up.

Everybody knows Superman's arch-nemesis is Lex Luthor--not Lex Luther.

You keep using that word, I do not think it means what you think it means. ;)

Re:

[jZnat]

Perhaps he's related to Martin Luther [wikipedia.org]?

At least

[ProfessionalCookie]

If you're going to announce that it doesn't glow green the least you could do is provide pictures of it fluorescing pink before submitting to Slashdot- we like pictures!

Even deadlier to Superman...

[Dystopian Rebel]

is the case of Serbian slivovica [wikipedia.org] found in the same mine.

Kryptonite colors

[BenEnglishAtHome]

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?

Re:

[mmurphy000]

Obligatory Wikipedia link [wikipedia.org].

Re:

[Bonker]

Pink Kryptonite caused Christopher Reeves to kiss Michael Caine in 'Deathtrap'

Re:Kryptonite colors

[Whiney Mac Fanboy]

Wikipedia sez [wikipedia.org]:

Pink Kryptonite: From an alternate timeline in a 2003 Supergirl storyline by Peter David, this bizarre variety of Kryptonite apparently turned heterosexual Kryptonians temporarily into homosexuals; it was seen in just one panel, with Superman giving flattering compliments to Jimmy Olsen about his wardrobe and decorative sense. It spoofs the more "innocent times" of the Silver Age (Lois Lane is depicted in this story as not understanding what's gotten into Superman).[1]

So, pink kryptonite turns superman gay. No word on orange kryptonite tho'

This is one of those situations where you realise wikipedia's superiority over the competition. (I mean how much help would Encyclopedia Britannica have been for this question?;)

Re:

[kthejoker]

No word on orange kryptonite tho'

Maybe it sets Superman on fire.

Get it? Pink = gay, orange = fla ..

I think you knew this was going to go there.

Re:

[jZnat]

The combination of pink and orange kryptonite turns people metrosexual!

I for one welcome our well-dressed supermen.

Why does nobody read the article

[Anonymous Coward]

"The new mineral does not contain fluorine (which it does in the film) and is white rather than green but, in all other respects, the chemistry matches that for the rock containing kryptonite."

So basically,
1) it's not green,
2) it's doesn't cause radiation of any kind,
3) it's not a crystal
4) it's not even the same set of elements

How about "I was dating a girl a while back, I realised she was Cindy Crawford, oh yeah, she's not actually Cindy Crawford, just has some similarities. PS, She's a man."

Kryptonite comes from Planet Krypton

[oztiks]

Lets not forget one important point.

Kryptonite comes from Planet Krypton.

If it's not from Planet Krypton how can it be called "Kryptonite"!?!? ARRRGH

Why did BBC News publish this?

Re:

[Himring]

Because, from my understanding, the chemical fingerprint of the compound found in the serbian mine is the exact same as was labeled on the box of kryptonite in the movie. Therefore, the connection has nothing to do with kryptonite. It has to do with the chemical fingerprint.

That's like saying, "in the movie, kryptonite had nothing to do with a serbian mine. Why did the bbc publish this?"

Otherwise, after reading this blurb, I realized why I've been feeling so tired and drained lately. I checked the

Sigh...

[old_skul]

...Nerds. Only a nerd would recognize a chemical formula on the side of a box in a movie.

Re:Sigh...

[QuickFox]

What? Are you saying that you wouldn't notice a chemical formula on the side of a box in a movie? You must be new here.

This is VERY significant

[Supercooldude]

You guys are all missing the main reason this find is so significant for Serbia: The Croatians are gonna be super jealous!

Why is this news?

[Sir Holo]

Materials scientists make "new" materials all the time - they dream up an unknown composition and make it in the lab. Just because someone digs something out of the ground somehow makes it special?

Maybe I should quit doing real research and learn how to sell mundane stamp-collecting work as sexy and exciting.

Even cooler is the article it links to---

[Cragen]

Even better:
"With lengths over 11m, the giant gypsum crystals [bbc.co.uk] found in Mexico's Cueva de los Cristales are a great natural wonder."

Then there's the "Giant crystal cave", [bbc.co.uk] 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" [bbc.co.uk] (!!!) Damned penis terroristas! Oh, wait, he cut off his OWN penis.

Re:

[Lord Bitman]

I thought pink kryptonite made superman gay... google it!

Re:

[smittyoneeach]

Have you seen you Spin Doctor about this problem?