An honest (if hypothetical) question

Started by newbienewb, October 16, 2020, 12:36:39 PM

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newbienewb

Let's say that you (any of you) were to either uncover a whole new form of metal, mineral, metalloid and nonmetal or you discovered something that not even the best of scientists, archaeologists, etc weren't able to find.

What would you name said metal, mineral, metalloid and nonmetal (if you were able to do that) and what would be the first thing that you do, once you found that previously undiscoverd find (be it a fossil, a type of pottery from an ancient civilization that no one had heard of, before, etc. or the aforementioned metal, mineral, metalloid and nonmetal)?

In the event that I've asked the wrong question within the wrong forum, I apologize, in advance.

Vekseid

This is kind of a flubber situation isn't it? It will vastly depend on what I've discovered, how, what I can do with it.

Narrow this down and you have a story prompt, but as is it's the 'general case' for this sort of story.

Rinzler

As a tribute to numerous entertaining fictional metals/minerals such as Adamantium, Unobtainium and Vibranium, I'd call it Macguffinium. Seriously, I would.

As to what to do with it. Blimey, I dunno. First port of call would be the interwebs, I suppose.

Hrairoo

If I discovered the fossil of some new birdy dinosaur(like, it'd be one of the fossils with indents from feathers, but just a couple, so, you know it had them) I would name it, "Big Weenus." And I'd draw pictures of it, publishing them as the official interpretation, as a naked chicken(with the fossil bones dimensions of course) with only as many feathers as showed up on the fossil imprint. And if anyone drew it differently or gave it the wrong amount of feathers, I would throw an obscene fit.

Rinzler

Quote from: Hrairoo on October 16, 2020, 02:45:29 PM
If I discovered the fossil of some new birdy dinosaur(like, it'd be one of the fossils with indents from feathers, but just a couple, so, you know it had them) I would name it, "Big Weenus."

I now have this image of the Biggus Dickus scene from Life of Brian, but with a paleontologist in place of the rhotacistic Pilate and a number of paleontological students and interns instead of the centurions.

Silence! What is all this insolence? You will find yourself back to bwushing ammonites vewy quickly with wotten behavior like that.

Inkidu

If it was a metal and it was nigh unbreakable and super light I'd call it Tolkeinium.
If it was a form of exotic matter that allowed superluminal travel I'd probably call it: Melangeum if it was a molecule or the Melangeon if it was a particle.
If it was a nigh unbreakable material that was not incredibly light (either moderately heavy or super heavy) probably Invictite, or Invictine.
If it were a dimondium-caliber nanite creator/material: Galateanite (that's probably my only self-serving one  as it's named after the main character of one of my ideas) or maybe grisgooite if I'm feeling... sassy.

Look, I write a lot and a lot of it's sci-fi. I spend a lot of time making up words to the point where I forget that there are real words that already mean things. I wanted a lighter-than-air gas for a steampunk idea and I thought I was being cute by riffing on Helium (named after the Greek god of/actually the sun) by calling it Selenium (Seleni or Selena being Greek for the Moon like Luna is Latin), totally forgetting that Selenium is a very real element on the good old PToE and is not lighter than air.

I'm thinking about going with Naussicium instead. Burner of ships, burned in ships, same difference.
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TheGlyphstone

When in doubt, steal from the classics. My airpunk setting had the invented mineral Cavorite, ripped directly out of H.G. Wells.

Mirrah

Hm. If we're being hypothetical here, I'd probably find a polished stone fragment shaved off of some larger carved structure. Take it home and never figure out what it really is, or how special it is. 😂

Or, if we took it one step further and said that I somehow was enlightened, I'd probably name it something odd and made up based off of names of family members or places I like. For example, Benecarium.
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Raigi

For me it'd be Boobonium. I don't care what it is, I just want my name next to that discovery. XD

newbienewb

Quote from: Vekseid on October 16, 2020, 01:52:33 PM
This is kind of a flubber situation isn't it? It will vastly depend on what I've discovered, how, what I can do with it.

Narrow this down and you have a story prompt, but as is it's the 'general case' for this sort of story.


In this case, the new metal, mineral, metalloid, or nonmetal would be a seemingly normal rock that can turn into a jewel. It gets discovered in a (thought to-be-lost) tomb from an ancient civilization buried under the sand. It'd be during an archaeological dig for research and you could change any aspect of your body as you see fit... and maybe warp time and space to your liking... if you wanted.

LostInTheMist

If I discovered a new metal, I would call it "The Metal". With air quotes any time somebody said it. And always in caps like that. The Metal. Since I figure The Metal is extremely rare, seeing as nobody else has discovered it, I could keep its properties secret but hint that they were extremely useful for whatever. Ultra-high temperature superconductivity. Detecting Dark Matter. The only thing that can kill Donald Trump, etc.
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newbienewb

Quote from: LostInTheMist on September 21, 2021, 09:27:53 AM
If I discovered a new metal, I would call it "The Metal". With air quotes any time somebody said it. And always in caps like that. The Metal. Since I figure The Metal is extremely rare, seeing as nobody else has discovered it, I could keep its properties secret but hint that they were extremely useful for whatever. Ultra-high temperature superconductivity. Detecting Dark Matter. The only thing that can kill Donald Trump, etc.
Oh. Well... that's certainly an interesting and... creative way to use a new type of metal and its powers. I could see it being used as a separate energy source given that you mention it being superconductive, at least.

midnightblack

Quote from: newbienewb on October 16, 2020, 12:36:39 PM
Let's say that you (any of you) were to either uncover a whole new form of metal, mineral, metalloid and nonmetal or you discovered something that not even the best of scientists, archaeologists, etc weren't able to find.

What would you name said metal, mineral, metalloid and nonmetal (if you were able to do that) and what would be the first thing that you do, once you found that previously undiscoverd find (be it a fossil, a type of pottery from an ancient civilization that no one had heard of, before, etc. or the aforementioned metal, mineral, metalloid and nonmetal)?

In the event that I've asked the wrong question within the wrong forum, I apologize, in advance.

If it's a new chemical element, it would indeed be metallic in nature, because that's where the periodic table of the elements currently cuts off. The problem however is quite fundamental, as the heaviest synthesized element as of present is essentially made from a reaction between Calcium-48 projectiles and a Californium target, which means that your highest possible atomic number is currently 118. It's difficult to work with a heavier target than Californium, as elements with a charge number greater than 98 have short half-lives and therefore decay rapidly, and it's also difficult to find a projectile as suitable as Ca-48, mainly due to it being doubly magic, rich in neutrons and extremely robust to decay for practical purposes. Assuming however that you somehow found it, since it's an element of the periodic table you'd have an international commission (the so-called IUPAC) deliberate on the matter and come up with a name.

If it's a composite material of some sort, having a structure built up from the basic chemical elements, I think you have more creative freedom in naming it whatever you want. But that would probably depend a whole lot on what it's made out of and whatever properties make it interesting. Usually when I imagine made-up materials for my stories I just throw a silly name in related either to either the place where the material was made or it's most striking feature.
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Cydaea

If OP, macguffinite. If normal, I'll do the normal Cydaenesium type trick. >.>
e!

LostInTheMist

Quote from: newbienewb on September 26, 2021, 11:52:34 AM

Oh. Well... that's certainly an interesting and... creative way to use a new type of metal and its powers. I could see it being used as a separate energy source given that you mention it being superconductive, at least.

I mention that I would hint that it might be superconductive. I never really say whether it is or isn't. Pay me enough and I'll give it to you, and you can determine its properties yourself. It's the ultimate "WHAT'S IN THE BOX!?" situation.
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Ozolosterna

Excellinium

Use it to produce some sort of world-ending super-weapon. Ideally a Sword like what Gilgamesh from the Fate series would use when wanting to end the battle.

newbienewb

Quote from: LostInTheMist on October 21, 2021, 04:41:23 AM
I mention that I would hint that it might be superconductive. I never really say whether it is or isn't. Pay me enough and I'll give it to you, and you can determine its properties yourself. It's the ultimate "WHAT'S IN THE BOX!?" situation.

I would not be surprised if you did that. You'd probably make tons of money, that way.