I’m looking for a reference/list/report of fictional chemical compounds
that have occured in non-fiction movies and books. Science fiction genre
mostly.
Two examples, for instance:
First, in the sci-fi drama movie "Medicine Man" (Sean Connery) there
was a chemical compound found in a species of rain forest spider that
cured cancer. The structural formula was flashed on the screen briefly.
Even though the chemistry was fictional I would be curious to examine
the Hollywood concoction (structure) if it exists on paper.
Example two: In the sci-fi comedy movie "The Nutty Professor" [Jerry
Lewis ©1961] (Please don’t laugh, this is serious) there was a Jeckle
& Hyde formula that appeared in part. Would like to know more, if
possible to find.
These are just examples. I’m looking for many of the same.
I am a science fiction writer with a small science background.
Well, this isn’t a fictional compounds, but it’s kind of funny.
The BBC TV series, Spooks had an episode with VX gas and they showed the
formula for VX gas (the correct formula), but as if to make a profound
statement, one of the "science" guys says, as they’re looking at the
formula, "My God, look at those chlorine bonds," as if that meant
something… VX is composed of carbon, hydrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and
oxygen. No chlorine to be found. You’d think someone on the set would have
had a basic enough knowledge of chemistry to notice that there was no Cl in
the formula they were showing, seeing as they had the right formula.
Anyway, a funny anecdote, but probably not what you’re looking for.
On Sun, 31 Dec 2006 08:23:23 -0800, Grostle News <sa…@webtv.net>
wrote in <6038-4597E3FB…@storefull-3256.bay.webtv.net>:
> I’m looking for a reference/list/report of fictional chemical compounds
> that have occured in non-fiction movies and books. Science fiction genre
^^^^??
> mostly.
> I am a science fiction writer with a small science background.
"The Endochronic Properties of Resublimated Thiotimoline" ?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thiotimoline
–
Ivan Reid, School of Engineering & Design, _____________ CMS Collaboration,
Brunel University. Ivan.Reid@[brunel.ac.uk|cern.ch] Room 40-1-B12, CERN
KotPT — "for stupidity above and beyond the call of duty".
Grostle News wrote:
> I’m looking for a reference/list/report of fictional chemical compounds
> that have occured in non-fiction movies and books. Science fiction genre
> mostly.
Krebiozen, polywater, hydrino… upsidaisyium, hushaboom… and
shitanium: filling an important gap in the literature.
[snip]
–
Uncle Al
http://www.mazepath.com/uncleal/
(Toxic URL! Unsafe for children and most mammals)
http://www.mazepath.com/uncleal/lajos.htm#a2
Uncle Al wrote:
> Grostle News wrote:
>> I’m looking for a reference/list/report of fictional chemical
>> compounds that have occured in non-fiction movies and books. Science
>> fiction genre mostly.
> Krebiozen, polywater, hydrino… upsidaisyium, hushaboom… and
> shitanium: filling an important gap in the literature.
Don’t forget the Dilithium cyrsyals, captain…. sorry I just watched
"Start Trek IV" on Channel4 this afternoon – and therefore you can add
"Transparent Aluminum" (US spelling, because that’s how they pronounced it
in the movie) – odd because they kept showing a steriod structure…
–
Ron Jones
Process Safety & Development Specialist
Don’t repeat history, unreported chemical lab/plant near misses at
http://www.crhf.org.uk Only two things are certain: The universe and
human stupidity; and I’m not certain about the universe. ~ Albert
Einstein
Fredo wrote:
> Well, this isn’t a fictional compounds, but it’s kind of funny.
> Anyway, a funny anecdote, but probably not what you’re looking for.
In a similar note, an episode of CSI:NY had the investigators detect
dinitrophenol in a sample of skin lotion. The boss’s reaction:
"Dinitrophenol? That’s a -chemical-!"
So is everything else they’ve ever detected in any of their analyses….
Thank you for your excellent answers.
I was worried about getting any helpful response after reading this
group and finding what looked like might be some rte extensive stylish
trollish-like activity. I took the chance, posted an inquiry and
apparent trolls, notwithstanding, I have one of the best answers ever I
have ever received in a newsgroup.
Thanks again.
Grostle News wrote:
> I’m looking for a reference/list/report of fictional chemical compounds
> that have occured in non-fiction movies and books. Science fiction genre
> mostly.
In Evolution with Julianne Moore and David Duchovny, the Duchovny
character looks at a periodic table and is inspired that Selenium will
kill the creatures since Arsenic is fatal to human carbon based life
forms …
They then collect all the blue container Head and Shoulders Shampoos
(Selenium Sulfide being the acive ingredient) … but all the blue
containers must have been artistically bad as they put a number of the
white H&S bottles (active ingredient Zinc Pyrithione) into the mix …
number6 wrote:
> In Evolution with Julianne Moore and David Duchovny, the Duchovny
> character looks at a periodic table and is inspired that Selenium will
> kill the creatures since Arsenic is fatal to human carbon based life
> forms …
This was based on the "fact" that the creatures were nitrogen-based.
By their reasoning (to call it such), since us carbon-based life forms
are severaly burned by elemental fluorine and chlorine, the invaders
should have been severly burned by neon and argon.
Such is Hollywood science class…
(To add a bit to my CSI:NY comment, at least they pronounced
"dinitrophenol" correctly. The folks on CSI:Miami have trouble with
such terms as "heptanone", pronouncing the last syllable as the number
1 instead of rhyming with bone or acetone.)
Madalch wrote:
> number6 wrote:
> > In Evolution with Julianne Moore and David Duchovny, the Duchovny
> > character looks at a periodic table and is inspired that Selenium will
> > kill the creatures since Arsenic is fatal to human carbon based life
> > forms …
> This was based on the "fact" that the creatures were nitrogen-based.
Selenium kills humans easily too.
> By their reasoning (to call it such), since us carbon-based life forms
> are severaly burned by elemental fluorine and chlorine, the invaders
> should have been severly burned by neon and argon.
This is about food, not fire.
> Such is Hollywood science class…
> (To add a bit to my CSI:NY comment, at least they pronounced
> "dinitrophenol" correctly. The folks on CSI:Miami have trouble with
> such terms as "heptanone", pronouncing the last syllable as the number
> 1 instead of rhyming with bone or acetone.)
I doubt they said it wriht; bone should not rime with acetone or
heptanone.
-Aut
Uncle Al wrote:
> Grostle News wrote:
>> I’m looking for a reference/list/report of fictional chemical compounds
>> that have occured in non-fiction movies and books. Science fiction genre
>> mostly.
> Krebiozen, polywater, hydrino… upsidaisyium, hushaboom… and
> shitanium: filling an important gap in the literature.
> [snip]
You left out my favorite: Brown’s Gas.
FK
numba6 wrote:
>They then collect all the blue container Head
>and Shoulders Shampoos (Selenium Sulfide
>being the acive ingredient) … but…
That’s great stuff, I use it myself!
> These are just examples. I’m looking for many of the same.
> I am a science fiction writer with a small science background.
Wikipedia maintains a database of fictional materials. Go to :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fictional_things#Science
Then, just go nuts.
In article <6038-4597E3FB…@storefull-3256.bay.webtv.net>, Grostle News <sa…@webtv.net> wrote:
: I’m looking for a reference/list/report of fictional chemical compounds
: that have occured in non [sic]-fiction movies and books. Science fiction
: genre mostly.
In addition to "The Endochronic Properties of Resublimated Thiotimoline"
(an "article" about a substance that dissolves before the solvent is added),
which has already been mentioned, Isaac Asimov wrote a few more stories
involving the substance.
"Star Trek" tended to invent a fictional chemical whenever they needed
something with a particular property, e.g. the "chlortheragen" (which I’ve
probably misspelled), a Klingon nerve gas mentioned in "The Tholian Web."
Or "the strongest chemical explosive ever invented" which Garth comes up
with in "Whom Gods Destroy."
In her short story "The Ones Who Walk away from Omelas," Ursula K. LeGuin
mentions "drooz," a drug of some sort. Admittedly, she doesn’t make it
clear whether or not "drooz" is supposed to be a pure substance or a mixture.
—–
Richard Schultz schu…@mail.biu.ac.il
Department of Chemistry, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
Opinions expressed are mine alone, and not those of Bar-Ilan University
—–
"Life is a blur of Republicans and meat." — Zippy
Uncle Al wrote:
> Grostle News wrote:
> > I’m looking for a reference/list/report of fictional chemical compounds
> > that have occured in non-fiction movies and books. Science fiction genre
> > mostly.
> Krebiozen, polywater, hydrino… upsidaisyium, hushaboom… and
> shitanium: filling an important gap in the literature.
Were you also the inventor of unobtainium,. the element that everyone
knew was there but couldn’t isolate? I can’t remember, because it also
induces amnesia.
Dangerous Bill
raco…@hotmail.com wrote:
> > These are just examples. I’m looking for many of the same.
> > I am a science fiction writer with a small science background.
> Wikipedia maintains a database of fictional materials. Go to :
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fictional_things#Science
> Then, just go nuts.
Jeez. You really can find anything at all on the Web…
Dangerous Bill
Grostle News wrote:
> Thank you for your excellent answers.
> I was worried about getting any helpful response after reading this
> group and finding what looked like might be some rte extensive stylish
> trollish-like activity. I took the chance, posted an inquiry and
> apparent trolls, notwithstanding, I have one of the best answers ever I
> have ever received in a newsgroup.
> Thanks again.
One more thiotimoline … Isaac Asimov’s spoof of a research paper had
endochronic qualities …
Uncle Al wrote:
> Grostle News wrote:
> > I’m looking for a reference/list/report of fictional chemical compounds
> > that have occured in non-fiction movies and books. Science fiction genre
> > mostly.
> Krebiozen, polywater, hydrino… upsidaisyium, hushaboom… and
> shitanium: filling an important gap in the literature.
But krebiozen _does_ exist. It’s the same thing
as creatine.
Also, since computer modelling work in the late 1970′s,
it is generally accepted that all (or nearly all)
molecules in a sample of pure water at room temperature
form a single hydrogen-bonded network, hence all pure
liquid water _is_ polywater.
"Grostle News" <sa…@webtv.net>
I’m looking for a reference/list/report of fictional chemical compounds
that have occured in non-fiction movies and books. Science fiction genre
mostly.
————–
SAYS NAZIS USE ATOMITE
Californian Asserts Explosive Was Invented by Coast Men
The New York Times. October 25, 1939
SAN DIEGO, Calif., Oct. 24 (UP) -Milton T. Vanderslice, California Park
Commissioner, said today "there was virtually positive proof" that Germany is
accomplishing tremendous destruction in her aerial bombings with an explosive
invented In the United States.
The explosive is atomite, a third again more potent than TNT, was invented
by "two men In Berkeley named Hauck and McCloud" five years ago and offered
to the United States Army at the time, he asserted. He was fiscal agent for the
inventors at that time, he said, and the formula was patented in several countries,
including Germany.
"There is virtually positive proof that Germany used this explosive in the
destruction of Warsaw and Polish military airdromes and depots," Mr.
Vanderslice declared, "for we know there is no bomb now in use by European
armies that literally can slice through and crumble huge concrete and steel
buildings, except the atomite projectiles which the Nazis have been using for two
years.
He said the explosive was used with "telling effect" in Spain.
donald j haarmann
—————————
The first casualty of
war is the truth.
Proverb
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -
Grostle News wrote:
> I’m looking for a reference/list/report of fictional chemical
> compounds that have occured in non-fiction movies and books. Science
> fiction genre mostly.
> Two examples, for instance:
> First, in the sci-fi drama movie "Medicine Man" (Sean Connery) there
> was a chemical compound found in a species of rain forest spider that
> cured cancer. The structural formula was flashed on the screen
> briefly. Even though the chemistry was fictional I would be curious
> to examine the Hollywood concoction (structure) if it exists on paper.
> Example two: In the sci-fi comedy movie "The Nutty Professor" [Jerry
> Lewis ©1961] (Please don’t laugh, this is serious) there was a Jeckle
> & Hyde formula that appeared in part. Would like to know more, if
> possible to find.
> These are just examples. I’m looking for many of the same.
> I am a science fiction writer with a small science background.
Eludium comes up a couple of times in Warner Brothers cartoons. It forms
the basis of Marvin the Martian’s explosive space modulator, and the
material Eludium Phosdex (the shaving foam atom) is only "found on Planet X,
somewhere in this region of space." (Indicates map of space with a large
area marked "Unknown"). Second example is from a cartoon of Daffy Duck as
Duck Dogers in the 24th and a half century.
Thiotimoline has been mentioned by a couple of posters, but in another
Asimov short story two chemists try to isolate pure ammonium as an
alternative to gold plating. Slightly childish storyline but an interesting
"extension" of known chemistry. The name of the story escapes me at the
moment but it may have "spoon" in the title since the two try to coat a
spoon with pure ammonium.
There was a discussion many years ago on these groups about the accuracy of
the biochemistry mentioned in Bladerunner when explaining why the Replicants
die after 4 years. I’ve never read the original book "Do Androids Dream of
Electric Sheep" by Philip K Dick so I don’t know what detail he goes into
there.
Since CSI has been mentioned has anyone else wondered why they use a simple
acid-base indicator for positive proof of blood, whereas no-one ever thinks
that maybe someone just spilled some fruit juice!! (Or baking soda, since I
never took enough notice of whether they determined that blood traces are
acidic or basic in the show.)
Colin
Dear Colin Reed:
Colin Reed wrote:
…
> Thiotimoline has been mentioned by a couple of posters,
> but in another Asimov short story two chemists try to
> isolate pure ammonium as an alternative to gold plating.
> Slightly childish storyline but an interesting "extension"
> of known chemistry. The name of the story escapes me
> at the moment but it may have "spoon" in the title since
> the two try to coat a spoon with pure ammonium.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Magnificent_Possession
David A. Smith
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -
dlzc wrote:
> Dear Colin Reed:
> Colin Reed wrote:
> …
>> Thiotimoline has been mentioned by a couple of posters,
>> but in another Asimov short story two chemists try to
>> isolate pure ammonium as an alternative to gold plating.
>> Slightly childish storyline but an interesting "extension"
>> of known chemistry. The name of the story escapes me
>> at the moment but it may have "spoon" in the title since
>> the two try to coat a spoon with pure ammonium.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Magnificent_Possession
> David A. Smith
That’s the one, thanks. If memory serves the crooked politician was called
something Hornswoggle, which Asimov later realised was a completely
ludicrous name. The stereotypically stupid villains had equally bad names.
Colin
"Grostle News" <sa…@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:6038-4597E3FB-91@storefull-3256.bay.webtv.net…
I’m looking for a reference/list/report of fictional chemical compounds
that have occured in non-fiction movies and books. Science fiction genre
mostly.
Some big shot politician was making a visitation to The Unviversity of
Salford (when it had an enormous Chem Dept) and was walking through one of
the organic research labs. "What are you working on?" he asked one of the
grad students. Without even turning his head, the grad student replied,
"The salts of masterburic acid." Another student was working on "penyl
fornicate". (the Brite pronounce ‘ethyl’ as ‘eethile’
Colin Reed wrote:
> Since CSI has been mentioned has anyone else wondered why they use a simple
> acid-base indicator for positive proof of blood, whereas no-one ever thinks
> that maybe someone just spilled some fruit juice!! (Or baking soda, since I
> never took enough notice of whether they determined that blood traces are
> acidic or basic in the show.)
It’s not that blood is significantly acidic or basic, but it catalyzes
the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. As I understand it (and I’m
open to correction), the blood decomposes the hydrogen peroxide, which
would otherwise decolourize the phenolphthalein. If the indicator
stuill turns pink when you add base, it must not have reacted with the
peroxide, so the peroxide must have been decomposed by blood.
So a sample contaminated by MnO2 would test positive for blood.
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -
Madalch wrote:
> Colin Reed wrote:
>> Since CSI has been mentioned has anyone else wondered why they use a simple
>> acid-base indicator for positive proof of blood, whereas no-one ever thinks
>> that maybe someone just spilled some fruit juice!! (Or baking soda, since I
>> never took enough notice of whether they determined that blood traces are
>> acidic or basic in the show.)
> It’s not that blood is significantly acidic or basic, but it catalyzes
> the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. As I understand it (and I’m
> open to correction), the blood decomposes the hydrogen peroxide, which
> would otherwise decolourize the phenolphthalein. If the indicator
> stuill turns pink when you add base, it must not have reacted with the
> peroxide, so the peroxide must have been decomposed by blood.
> So a sample contaminated by MnO2 would test positive for blood.
Or iron 2+
FK