Scientists unearth Superman's "kryptonite"

[HCI]

LONDON (Reuters) - Kryptonite, which robbed Superman of his powers, is no longer the stuff of comic books and films.

A mineral found by geologists in Serbia shares virtually the same chemical composition as the fictional kryptonite from outer space, used by the superhero's nemesis Lex Luther to weaken him in the film "Superman Returns".

"We will have to be careful with it -- we wouldn't want to deprive Earth of its most famous superhero!," said Dr Chris Stanley, a mineralogist at the Natural History Museum.

Stanley, who revealed the identity of the mysterious new mineral, discovered the match after searching the Internet for its chemical formula - sodium lithium boron silicate hydroxide.

"I was amazed to discover that same scientific name written on a case of rock containing kryptonite stolen by Lex Luther from a museum in the film Superman Returns," he said.

The substance has been confirmed as a new mineral after tests by scientists at the Natural History Museum and the
National Research Council in Canada.

But instead of the large green crystals in Superman comics, the real thing is a white, powdery substance which contains no fluorine and is non-radioactive.

The mineral, to be named Jadarite, will go on show at the the Natural History Museum at certain times of the day on Wednesday, April 25, and Sunday, May 13.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070424/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_britain_kryptonite

 

[Bogy]

I read that earlier today, and the thing that struck me was the comment about the new kryptonite not being radioactive. I don't remember the kryptonite being radioactive or otherwise dangerous to humans, just Superman. But then again, its been a while since I spent much time reading the comic books.

 

[Pepper]

Idiots. They should have actually named it "Kryptonite"

 

[rockymtnhigh]

Idiots. They should have actually named it "Kryptonite"

Yeah, excactly. Just my thought. Or they could have called it jorelite.

Except of course, just because some movie prop person put that name on a prop in the movie, doesn't quite mean that they "knew' the chemical composition of kryptonite.

 

[JrC]

Here is some fascinating information about Kryptonite.

http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/kryptonite.htm

It is interesting that its original purpose was to give radio series actor Bud Collyer, who played the role of Superman, a vacation. With Superman incapacitated by kryptonite, another voice actor could supply his incomprehensible moans, filling the role until Collyer returned.

 

[navychop]

Wasn't there more than one type of Kryptonite- not just green?

 

[mastermesh]

Hasn't Krypton been in the chart of elements a long, long time?

 

[rockymtnhigh]

Hasn't Krypton been in the chart of elements a long, long time?

Yup.

See http://www.webelements.com/webelements/elements/text/Kr/key.html

But according to Superman Returns, Kryptonite is apparently not Krypton, since it is supposedly "sodium lithium boron silicate hydroxide"

 

[Max Fisher]

Comic Book Guy

is smiling somewhere. :

 

[Bogy]

Wasn't there more than one type of Kryptonite- not just green?

There was also red Kryptonite, which, if I remember correctly, did weird things to Superman, like split him in two.

 

[navychop]

And maybe gold?

I remember my father saying when he was a kid, superman couldn't fly, he just jumped real far. For my generation, he flew. Maybe currently there's only one kryptonite?

 

[DWS44]

Idiots. They should have actually named it "Kryptonite"

In today's world, there was probably already a copyright on it.

 

[Peter Parker]

Apparently the name kryptonite was not used because there is no actual krypton in the darned thing.

i don't recall if the stuff was actually radioactive but the different varieties all glowed. What caused that i can't say.