Science Fiction
Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Latest By
Category:
Armor
Artificial
Intelligence
Biology
Clothing
Communication
Computers
Culture
Data Storage
Displays
Engineering
Entertainment
Food
Input Devices
Lifestyle
Living Space
Manufacturing
Material
Media
Medical
Miscellaneous
Robotics
Security
Space Tech
Spacecraft
Surveillance
Transportation
Travel
Vehicle
Virtual
Person
Warfare
Weapon
Work
"Science fiction writers foresee the inevitable, and although problems and catastrophes may be inevitable, solutions are not."
- Isaac Asimov
 |
| Bolognium | ||
| Very early fictional element, courtesy of metallurgists. |
See also the article for the word "unobtainium".
| ...the Sillinoise Steel company was described. In the absence of the author, the paper was read by Dr. E.Z. Dame of Never Ready Batteries (Edgar C. Bain). The author's abstract follows:
This paper describes some of the alloys of the newly discovered element Gafnium. The element is named after the famous worker in steel who has but to mention a certain steel when lo! it becomes a super-metal... The element Gafnium is very similar to the element Bolognium with which it alloys in all proportions following a series of inter metallic compounds none of which are attracted by mice at ordinary pressures. |
| Technovelgy from Transactions of Amer Soc for Steel Treating,
by Edgar Bain. Published by Amer Soc Steel Treating in 1926 Additional resources -
|
This is not really a science fiction short story, but was instead a humorous effort by diligent metallurgists and materials scientists. Compare to many entries in List of Materials in Science Fiction.
Comment/Join this discussion ( 0 ) | RSS/XML | Blog This |
Additional
resources:
More Ideas
and Technology from Transactions of Amer Soc for Steel Treating
More Ideas
and Technology by Edgar Bain
Tech news articles related to Transactions of Amer Soc for Steel Treating
Tech news articles related to works by Edgar Bain
| Harvard Metamaterials Change Structure Instantly |
| Nano-Chainmail 2D Mechanically Interlocked Polymer |
| Goldene - A Two-Dimensional Sheet Of Gold One Atom Thick |
| GNoME AI From DeepMind Invents Millions Of New Materials |
Want to Contribute an
Item?
It's easy:
Get the name of the item, a
quote, the book's name and the author's name, and Add
it here.
| <Previous | Next> |
|
|
|
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Science Fiction Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
|
Science Fiction
Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's 1950's
1960's 1970's
1980's 1990's
2000's 2010's
'Their only check on the growth and development of Vulcan 3 lay in two clues: the amount of rock thrown up to the surface... and the amount of the raw materials and tools and parts which the computer requested.'
'I guess there's nobody round this table who doesn't have a Crosswell [tapeworm] working for him in the small intestine.'
'Figments of his mind in one sense, of course, for he had shaped them...'
'So the parent drone carries a spotter that it launches...'
'...nurse drones that would cruise around dumping large amounts of power into randomly selected pods.'
'It's done with a flip of the third joint of the tentacle on the down beat.'
'...for months Grantline bores had dug into the cliff.'
'I hope all those other cars are on automatic,' he said anxiously.
'It’s smart enough to go wrong in very complicated ways, but not smart enough to help us find out what’s wrong.'
