Even though the IUPAC has a somewhat different definition of
it, is dilithium nothing more than the Star Trek universe’s “magic wand”?
By: Ringo Bones
According to the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry
– or IUPAC – dilithium is the diatomic allotrope of the gaseous form of the
alkali metal lithium, Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek seems to have a somewhat
different definition. Although in the parlance of science fiction literature,
it is known as a “magic wand” – i.e. something completely fictitious or could
yet to be invented in the future. Unfortunately, the Star Trek definition of
dilithium is what most of the general public know about the “fictitious
chemical element”.
It first appeared in the Star Trek Original Series novel
titled Preserver in which dilithium was defined as a rare transuranic element
that was formed naturally via the violent explosions of supernovas – i.e. Type 1a
supernovas. In the Star Trek universe, it was the only known material which
could regulate matter-antimatter reactions in the warp cores of starships;
which is why dilithium was used by most sentient species in the Star Trek
universe in their various warp-capable starships as in spacecraft capable of
faster-than light travel without breaking Albert Einstein’s laws on Special
Relativity – i.e. the “Alcubierre Warp Drive”.
Different compositions and origins produced slightly
different appearances in the crystals ranging in shape and color. Its atomic
weight is 315 and its atomic number is 119. While some various “canonical” Star
Trek novels lists dilithium as having an atomic number that ranges from 190 to
300 depending on the date when it was written.
According to what we currently know theoretical physicists surmised that
Type 1a supernovas have trouble efficiently producing chemical elements heavier
than iron and thus conclude that most silver, gold and other heavier elements
found on planet earth are probably produced by a more violent, but rarer cosmic
event – i.e. the collision of two neutron stars. Some canonical Star Trek
novels and on the original series even stated that the stars going supernova
that precede our sun are not powerful enough to produce dilithium, thus
explaining the virtual nonexistence of dilithium on planet earth in the Star
Trek universe.
