Rio Tinto researchers find 'real life kryptonite'

British scientists have discovered a material that resembles the fictional glowing green substance kryptonite, which is famous for its ability to rob Superman of his powers.

Researchers from Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto found the substance down a mine in Serbia.

Scientists from the Natural History Museum in London, who studied its chemical composition, found it matched the description of kryptonite in the film Superman Returns.

In the comic books it comes from the planet Krypton and is used by villains to bring the superhero to his knees.

By contrast, the newly discovered mineral is a chalky white substance with no apparent extraterrestrial powers.

"I'm afraid it's not green and it doesn't glow either - although it will react to ultraviolet light by fluorescing a pinkish-orange," Dr Chris Stanley, a mineralogist at the Natural History Museum told the BBC.

The mineral cannot be called kryptonite under international nomenclature rules because it has nothing to do with krypton - a real element in the Periodic Table that takes the form of a gas.

Instead, it will be formally named Jadarite when it is described in the European Journal of Mineralogy later this year.

linky

Ummm..... How does it resemble kryponite? It is not green, stuctured well, glowing or able to remove strength from people...

May as well say it is gold, except it is not gold coloured, valueable etc....

*shrugs*

"...who studied its chemical composition, found it matched the description of kryptonite."

It has the same chemical formula.

Ah I`ll shut up now

that's interesting discovery -

*beckons IamsSon over*

Hey, Iams. Look at this cool stuff we found!