Geek Trivia: Lucky (atomic) numbers

by Jay Garmon | Jun 27, 2006 9:03:00 PM

Tags: Jay Garmon, Kryptonite, Superman Returns, Geek Trivia Newsletter

Takeaway: What is the proposed atomic number for the fictional element Kryptonite?

June 28 is the equivalent of a high holy day on the calendars of comic-book fanboys everywhere: Superman Returns, the highly anticipated big-screen resurrection of the Man of Steel opens in U.S. theaters on this day.

Director Bryan Singer has vowed to revive Superman for a modern audience while still tying it to the Christopher Reeve films of the late '70s and early '80s. (He's even drudged up footage of the late Marlon Brando as Jor-El, Superman's Kryptonian father.) That effort has hinged largely on giving Superman and his nemesis Lex Luthor a sci-fi verve rather than comic-book camp.

Of course, trying to attach a hard science rationalization to a guy who can shoot heat rays out of his eyes is something of a futile gesture, but obsessively pursuing futile intellectual pastimes is what geeks do. Case in point: Kryptonite.

Even persons who wouldn't self-identify as geeks probably know a little something about Kryptonite, the green radioactive crystal that's uniquely able to weaken and/or kill the otherwise invulnerable Superman. Where things get really geeky is when people try to deduce some empirical facts about this fictional substance.

For example, there have been actual arguments over whether Kryptonite refers to a mineral compound or an element. And, no, I'm not making this up.

The chemists among us (they're out there�they've quibbled) will point out that the suffix -ite refers to a compound�not an element�so Kryptonite can't be a pure atomic element. If it were, we would call it Kryptonium.

Elemental advocates will counter that the term Kryptonite was a contraction of Kryptonian meteorite, and thus is the common, informal name for the extraterrestrial element. What everyone agrees on is that Kryptonite is radioactive�which is why the substance weakens Superman when he's in its mere vicinity.

So, if Kryptonite is an unknown radioactive element, it must lie somewhere in the transuranic regions of the periodic table. Using these assumptions, some ubergeeks have actually postulated an atomic number for elemental Kryptonite, invoking legitimate scientific theory to justify this fanboy supposition.

WHAT IS THE PROPOSED ATOMIC NUMBER FOR THE FICTIONAL ELEMENT KRYPTONITE?

What's the proposed atomic number for the fictional element Kryptonite�the Superman-slaying radioactive crystal of movie, cartoon, and comic lore�and what legitimate scientific theory have proponents used to support this intellectual flight of fancy?

Atomic number 126, known formally as unbihexium, is the proposed atomic number of Kryptonite. This element is a favorite of the nuclear physicist/Superman fanboy geek subset�a bigger demographic than you would expect�because unbihexium is the heaviest theoretical double-magic transuranic on the nuclear island of stability.

Physicist Glenn Seaborg, one of a select few to have an element named in his honor during his lifetime�seaborgium, atomic number 106�first proposed the so-called island of stability on the upper fringes of the periodic table. The island is a range of superheavy elements that, despite their three-figure atomic numbers, would prove comparatively stable, with theoretical half-lives measuring longer than a few seconds.

The idea behind the island is that the atomic nucleus' organization occurs by shells, just like electron levels. Each shell could accommodate a certain number of protons or neutrons, and a "complete" shell would produce a stable element.

As atomic numbers get larger, each subsequent outer shell requires more protons or neutrons to be complete, so heavier stable elements are rare. The island of stability theory holds that certain "magic numbers" of protons or neutrons would produce stable shells: 114, 120, or 126 protons, and 184 neutrons.

Therefore, the isotope unbihexium-310 (126 protons and 184 neutrons) would be "double magic." As the heaviest theoretically stable atomic isotope, unbihexium is a favorite of science-fiction writers�and the most often-cited candidate for a true-life Kryptonite.

Bear in mind, none of this was a factor when Kryptonite first appeared in popular culture. In fact, the introduction of the Kryptonite concept came about simply to cover the absence of voice actor Bud Collyer from the Superman radio series in 1943.

Since Collyer, the voice of Superman, was going to be absent for several episodes, show writers needed a gimmick to explain why the Man of Steel couldn't coherently speak for several consecutive shows. Their answer was Kryptonite, which, in its original appearance, reduced Superman to a speechless invalid. The idea was so memorable that it eventually made its way into Superman comics and from there into movies, cartoons, nuclear physics in-jokes, and�naturally�Geek Trivia.

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The Quibble of the Week

If you uncover a questionable fact or debatable aspect of this week's Geek Trivia, just post it in the discussion area of the article. Every week, yours truly will choose the best post from the assembled masses and discuss it in the next edition of Geek Trivia.

This week's quibble comes from the June 7 edition of Geek Trivia, "Davy Jones' shocker." TechRepublic member Thundercho caught a glaring mathematical error in the opening paragraph:

"Jay, at the beginning of your article. . . you wrote, 'The most famous scientific submersible ever to share a name with an animated chipmunk was officially commissioned thirty-seven years ago this week. On June 5, 1964. . .' If the date of June 5, 1964 is correct, that was 42 years ago, not 37."

Yeah, see, when you do your math based on 1969, then realize the date was 1964, you're supposed to correct both the date and the math�my bad for falling down on my editorial duties. (I've since updated the article.) Thanks, and keep those quibbles coming.

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The Trivia Geek, also known as Jay Garmon, is a former advertising copywriter and Web developer who's duped TechRepublic into underwriting his affinity for movies, sci-fi, comic books, technology, and all things geekish or subcultural.

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