We might have discovered Unobtanium - and it's wet graphite

[Clarke]

Seriously!

The results are very tentative, and there's something very mysterious going on with the microscopic details of the material, but still, SCIENCE!  
(Besides, now we know that it can be done, it's only a matter of good observation to work out what's exactly is causing the effect.)

[Kekerusey]

Seriously!

The results are very tentative, and there's something very mysterious going on with the microscopic details of the material, but still, SCIENCE!  
(Besides, now we know that it can be done, it's only a matter of good observation to work out what's exactly is causing the effect.)

I've heard many criticisms of "Avatar" for using a "stupid" mineral called "unobtanium" but apparently the word is one of those commonly used to refer to fictional, extremely rare, costly or impossible materials so really those criticizing it for that reason merely demonstrate their ignorance or unwillingness to find out things like that

Thanks for the link though ... it will be interesting to see if it pans out.

Keke

[Niri Te]

 I will be watching for when they feed an elecrtic current through it. Thanks for the link Clarke.
Niri Te

[Clarke]

I've heard many criticisms of "Avatar" for using a "stupid" mineral called "unobtanium" but apparently the word is one of those commonly used to refer to fictional, extremely rare, costly or impossible materials so really those criticizing it for that reason merely demonstrate their ignorance or unwillingness to find out things like that

I think that's the source of the criticism. It's a joke name, so Selfridge using it seriously pops some people out of the story, because it's as though Cameron winked at them and said, "I know how this goes." It might have worked better in, say, Star Trek or Doctor Who, but both of those things are a lot less serious than Avatar.

[Niri Te]

 It was like a slap in the face to me. We use the terms "Unobtainium" and "Unaffordium" in racing, and Aviation a lot. EVERY time that they used that word, it pulled me right out, and it took three to four minutes to get back into it again. WHY didn't they call it Pandorium, for where they were mining it, or Proximium for one of the two stars?  SOMEONE just WASN'T thinking.
Niri Te

[Kekerusey]

SOMEONE just WASN'T thinking.

I doubt it ... I think he was thinking! For a start there's no suggestion that the unobtanium in "Avatar" hadn't got a real name indeed, the more I think about it, the more I think that's likely i.e. that unobtanium is merely the common word used for the material.

Keke

[`Eylan Ayfalulukanä]

The term 'Unobtanium' has been around since the '50's according to an exhibit at the EMP Avatar exhibit (formerly) in Seattle. I have used that term regularly for years, as all my old VTRs use lots of unobtanium in their construction. (The newer digital machines are worse then the older analog machines in that respect!)

I can see how the term arose. Explorers visiting Pandora found this room-temperature-superconductor element on Pandora, and brought samples back with them. When the technological implications of such a material were realized, this element (element 120 according to the ASG) became so much in demand that it created a massive new space race to obtain it. The result of all this effort resulted in this element being coined 'unobtanium'.

Whether this is superconductivity (and it sounds like it is), or a new state of ferromagnetism, this is Nobel prize-grade research results, and could be a real game-breaker of a discovery. This is definitely research to watch!

I have always personally believed that a room temperature superconductor exists, because they keep pushing the transition temperature up and up. What they are describing here matches the theoretical material unobtanium in many ways.

[Irtaviš Ačankif]

The funny thing is that element 120, as predicted by physics, would decay in a few microseconds 

[Clarke]

Strangely, though, ³¹⁰Ubh, which is element 126, is supposed to be remarkably stable, compared to anything else that heavy.

[`Eylan Ayfalulukanä]

The funny thing is that element 120, as predicted by physics, would decay in a few microseconds  

We know that, but I bet many ASG readers don't.

Ma Clarke, what is your/their definition of 'remarkably stable'?

[Clarke]

"On the order of hours or days."

Compared to elements 114-118, which decay inside milliseconds.