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Science Kryptonite discovery mixes fact with fiction
Science Kryptonite discovery mixes fact with fiction | Kryptonite discovery mixes fact with fiction |
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| by Stan Beer | |
| Wednesday, 25 April 2007 | |
Related storiesHowever, what is probably not a coincidence is that the fictional Superman's fictional home planet Krypton bears the same name and spelling as a real element on the chemical periodic table. Krypton, the element, is an inert gas that belongs to the same family of elements as Helium, Argon and Neon, and was discovered on May 30, 1898 by Sir William Ramsay, a Scottish chemist. Like Neon, it has been used in lighting applications such as advertising signs. Jerry Siegel, the co-creator of Superman, born in 1914, was a science fiction buff and probably well aware of Krypton and some of its properties. Why he chose to give Superman's home planet the same name is not clear. It is also probably not a coincidence that the recent Superman movie added the words "with fluorine" to the chemical formula of Kryptonite. Krypton is technically labelled an inert gas, meaning that it should not be able to combine with other elements to form chemical compounds. However, in fact, Krypton is known to be able to form compounds with Fluorine. Is there another angle to this story that makes it more than a mere curiosity? Perhaps. Lithium is one of the most promising energy storage sources for portable applications. Unfortunately, like fossil fuels, it is in limited supply. The discovery of naturally occurring Jadarite, however, may provide an important new source of Lithium for use in Lithium Ion batteries.{moscomment}
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