Substances and Particles F-K

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Substance/Particle Submission Form

 

 

F

Felicium

Naturally occurring. An addictive substance.

• TNG: "Symbiosis" - Felicium is Brekka's sole export. It was once used to cure a deadly plague. Now, everyone on Ornara is addicted to it.

Finoplak

Artificially generated by aliens. Solvent that is able to dissolve Starfleet uniforms, but not bioplastic coatings such as Data's skin.

• TNG: "The Most Toys" - Kivas Fajo pours finoplak on Data's uniform so that he has to wear the clothes Fajo offers to him.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Fistrium

Naturally occurring. Refractory metal.

• TNG: "Silicon Avatar" - Found in caves of Melona IV. Data thinks the presence of fistrium and kelbonite prevents the Crystalline Entity from scanning the caves.

Fluidic space

Naturally occurring. A parallel space near our own composed entirely of a biological fluid.

• VOY: "Scorpion, Part II" - Species 8472 exists in fluidic space and attacks the Delta Quadrant following a failed Borg invasion into their territory. Voyager is brought to fluidic space by Seven of Nine in order to force their cooperation.

Fluorine

Naturally occurring. Occurs in Class-J gas giants. Real chemical element. Description: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluorine.

• DS9: "Starship Down" - Dax is intoxicated by this gas after a hull breach.
• "Star Trek: First Contact" - Data mentions that the Borgified Earth atmosphere contains a large amount of fluorine.

Submitted by Spike and Ari "borgboy" schwartz

Fortanium

Origin unknown. Obviously a strong metal (from Latin: fortis).

• TNG: "Masks" - Used in the composition of the informational archive at the comet's core.

 

G

Gallicite

Naturally occurring. Mineral. Used in the construction of warp coils. Very rare.

• VOY: "Blood Fever" - The Voyager crew discovers gallicite depositories on a planet whose inhabitants (the Sakari) used gallicite to cover their power systems.
• VOY: "Rise" - Mined on the Nezu colony.
• ENT: "Awakening", "Kir'Shara" - Gallicite is a material that leads to an electric discharge when brought in contact with metals.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Gamma radiation

Artificially generated by crew and naturally occurring. Highly energetic electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths less than 10^-10 meters, associated with nuclear processes. Often associated with nuclear fission, and is toxic to most lifeforms.

• TNG: "Evolution" - Gamma radiation bursts are used to eradicate the nanites that had infected the ship's computer core. Would this also not effect the crew too?
• DS9: "Meridian" - Modulated gamma bursts are detected in Meridian's sun by the Defiant, prior to the planet's shift into a corporeal state.
• VOY: "Warlord" - Damage to the ship's warp core can sometimes cause it to leak gamma radiation.

Submitted by Rebecca

Gammanite

Naturally occurring. Mineral found in caves. Can be used to boost a comm signal.

• LOW: "Caves" - The Vendorians taught Boimler how to use gammanite to boost a comm signal when trapped in a cave.

Genesis wave

Artificially generated by crew. An energy wave that has the effect of rapidly terraforming planets and nebular matter.

• "Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan" - The Genesis Device, invented by Carol and David Marcus, is sought by Khan Noonien Singh as a weapon to be used to destroy Admiral Kirk and the Enterprise NCC- 1701. Ultimately, the device is activated, destroying the USS Reliant, killing Khan, and creating the Genesis Planet from matter of the Mutara Nebula.
• "Star Trek: The Search for Spock" - Because of the unusual properties of the planet, the body of Spock is brought back to life after he died saving the Enterprise. The newly created Genesis planet itself, on the other hand, turns out to be unstable.

Geodesic radiation

Naturally occurring. Lethal, emitted by a geodesic fold, Starfleet shields are usually not able to protect a ship's crew against this radiation. "Geodesic" is a strange term to describe radiation or even the related fold-phenomenon. Strangely enough, this radiation(!) is one of those for which we have a miraculous inoculation.

• VOY: "Inside Man" - Geodesic radiation is regarded as problem in the plan to use a geodesic fold as a shortcut.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Gold

Naturally occurring. Obsolete(?) currency. Yellowish, shiny metal. Symbol Au, number 79 on periodic table. This metal is also highly conductive of electricity and is commonly used for computer circutry.

• TNG: "The Last Outpost" - The first appearance of the Ferengi. They ask Riker if the communicator is made from gold. Riker confirms this. Where was gold-pressed latinum at this time?
• TNG: "The Price" - Gold is offered to the Barzans by the Ferengi delegation.
• DS9: "Little Green Men" - Quark would accept gold as payment from the "Australians" in exchange for 24th century technology.
• DS9: "Who Mourns for Mourn?" - Latinum (liquid) is suspended in gold for more practical use. Quark suddenly says it is worthless otherwise.
• VOY: "Dark Frontier" - Gold was stored in Fort Knox until the 22nd century.
• TNG Technical Manual - Page 94: The communicator casing is micromilled duranium overlayed with gold and silver alloys.

Submitted by B. and Rebecca

Graviton

Artificially generated by crew. A particle that has something to do with gravity, but also with other strange effects. A real particle according to modern physics, whose existence is proven indirectly. Gravitons are the particle manifestation of gravity.

• TNG: "The Best of Both Worlds" - A "heavy graviton beam" is considered and rejected as a weapon against the Borg.
• TNG: "Silicon Avatar" - Used by Enterprise crew to communicate with the Crystalline Entity. Used by vengeful scientist to destroy the entity.
• TNG: "Hero Worship" - Graviton waves destroy the Vico when it is surveying a region of space.
• TNG: "The Nth Degree" - Barclay uses a graviton field to alter subspace to take the ship into Cytherian space.
• TNG: "Schisms" - A coherent graviton pulse can neutralize tetryon emissions.
• VOY: "The Caretaker" - Generated by Voyager to get out of the Caretaker's beam.

 

H

Holomatter

Artificially generated by crew. A simulation of matter using forcefields and holo-imaging technology within a chamber known as a holodeck. Under certain circumstances, holomatter can take on all the recognized features of lifeforms; however, all holomatter disintegrates when removed from the holodeck.

• TNG, DS9, VOY: countless episodes - Training, recreation and entertainment for the crew. Some medical applications. On board Voyager, due to the death of the chief medical officer, a holomatter EMH has been designated as the de facto CMO.

Hyperon

Naturally occurring. Particle that may interfere with transporter systems. Hyperons are a class of real particles whose name dates back to the days before quark structure was well known. Leptons (electrons, muons, tau and their associated neutrinos) are "light", mesons are "medium", and baryons are heavy. When more massive short-lived particles heavier than the proton were produced, they were called hyperons. Some examples are the sigma lambda and cascade. After quark structure was understood, the first three names were kept, but the meaning was changed. Leptons are the same list as originally, but are understood to be fundamental particles with no quark structure. Mesons are quark-antiquark pairs. Baryons are triplets of quarks. The term hyperon is still used, but not so frequently.

• TNG: "The Ensigns of Command" - Obstacle preventing the use of transporters in the evacuation of a planet ceded to the Sheliak. It seems these hyperons are different and more specific particles than the real-life hyperons.

Hyronalin

Artificially generated by crew. Medication used for treatment of radiation exposure in humanoid patients.

• TOS: "The Deadly Years" - Replaced adrenaline for such applications, although hyronalin has no effect on a radiation-induced hyperaccelerated-aging disease from planet Gamma Hydra IV that affects several Enterprise crew members in 2267.
• TNG: "TNG Final Mission" - Hyronalin is used to treat the crew of the Enterprise-D when the ship is exposed to hazardous levels of radiation while towing a derelict waste ship way from planet Gamelan V in 2367. The drug is administered by introducing hyronalin vapor into the ship's ventilation system.
• TNG: "Disaster" - La Forge and Crusher requires hyronalin treatment following exposure to plasma fire radiation in the cargo bay in 2368.
• DS9: "Visionary" - Julian Bashir administers hyronalin to Chief O'Brien for radiation poisoning in 2371.

Submitted by Spike

Hytritium

Origin unknown. Only known cure for tricyanate contamination of water supplies. Highly volatile.

• TNG: "The Most Toys" - Used to explode a shuttlecraft so that Kivas Fajo can kidnap Data without raising suspicion.

 

I

Illium 629

Naturally occurring. A by-product of the geological decay of dilithium. The number 629 would usually denote the relative atomic mass (the number of nucleons) of an isotope if illium were a real-world element. The highest known atomic mass to date is around 270. Since VOY: "Emanations" states that there are over 200 elements known in the 24th century, the number 629 becomes half-way consistent again. Only that none of the huge atoms can be supposed to be stable and naturally occurring. I assume that it's actually a compound.

• TNG: "Pen Pals" - Traces of illium 629 are found on the planet Drema IV, leading to the discovery of unusual dilithium deposits in the planet's mantle. The dilithium transforms the planet's geological heat into mechanical stress, resulting in significant tectonic instabilities that nearly destroy the planet. The geological instabilities are neutralized by the use of resonator probes launched from orbit.

Inaprovaline

Artificially generated by crew. Cardiostimulatory drug used aboard Federation starships.

• TNG: "Ethics" - Used by Dr. Crusher in an attempt to resuscitate Lt. Worf when he suffers an multiple organ failure during spine-transplant-surgery.
• TNG, DS9, VOY: many episodes - Inaprovaline is used either as a cardiostimulant or as a neural stimulant.

Submitted by Fidel Melgoza and Thomas

Infernite

Origin unknown. When mixed with cabrodine, becomes explosive.

• DS9: "In the Hands of the Prophets" - Used by Neela to destroy Keiko's schoolroom.

Interferometric pulse

Artificially generated by aliens. A radiation pulse to disrupt shieldings. The interferometric concept is real, although how it matches up to its use in Trek is questionable. Interferometric waves are two intersecting waves of light. Interferometry is a measurement principle based on interference. "Interferometric pulse" seems to be just an unnecessarily complicated term for a counter-wave interfering with the shields, actually it needs to be just the same kind of field as generated by the shields themselves.

• VOY: "The Swarm" - Generated by the Swarm to affect Voyager's shields.

Submitted by Glenn Burgess

Inversion nebula

Naturally occurring. A nebula composed of plasma strings that is apparently beautiful to look at. Nebulae of this kind do not exist in the Alpha Quadrant. They are apparently relatively unstable, requiring an outside influence to stay stable.

• VOY: "Alter Ego" - Voyager monitors an inversion nebula for several days, observing a number of plasma string flare-ups.

Invidium

Origin unknown. Used in medical containment fields of the previous century.

• TNG: "Hollow Pursuits" - No longer used. Causes adverse reactions with equipment. If brought to -200°C, it becomes inert. It spreads into the ship when a seal of a medical sample container breaks.

Ion

Naturally occurring. Used in ion drive propulsion. An atom or group of atoms that carries a positive or negative electric charge.

• TOS: "Spock's Brain" - Used to propel the space ship that carries descendants of an advanced civilization who board the Enterprise and steal Spock's brain. Scotty marvels at its design at first sight, saying that "they could teach us a thing or two." Well, real ion drive isn't really that advanced and would be incapable of FTL propulsion.

Ionic pulse

Artificially generated by crew. Energy pulse that may be created with the deflector dish. Presumably just a bunch of charged atoms (ions).

• "Star Trek Generations" - An ionic pulse generated by the navigational deflector is used to trigger the cloaking device of Lursa and B'Etor's ship so their shields would drop and the Enterprise can destroy them.

Ionogenic particle

Artificially generated by crew. Has characteristic "magnetic flux density". These sound like "ion-forming" particles. Not really a precise name.

• TNG: "Power Play" - Used to create a containment field for the "spirits" of alien escapees of a penal colony when they attempt to possess the crew.

Irillium

Naturally occurring. Apparently an element.

• TOS: "Requiem for Methuselah" - The irillium renders the ryetalyn inert and therefore unusable in combating an epidemic that the crew is trying to prevent on another planet.

Isoboramine

Naturally occurring. A neurotransmitter in Trills which maintains the link between symbiont and host.

• DS9: "Equilibrium" - If the isoboramine level gets too low, the symbiont must be removed or will die. Dax has a low isoboramine count from the hallucinations of Joran Dax.

 

J

Jakmanite

Naturally occurring. Like invidium, jakmanite cannot be detected by internal sensors.

• TNG: "Hollow Pursuits" - Exists in oxygen environment, and like invidium, can alter advanced structures like glass. Duffy rules jakmanite out as a possible cause of the problems experienced by the Enterprise crew.

Jevonite

Naturally occurring. Valuable gemstone found on Cardassia.

• TNG: "Chain of Command, Part II" - Ancient jevonite artifacts found on Cardassia were sold or stolen by the army to finance the war effort.

 

K

Kayolane

Artificially generated by crew. A sedative.

• TNG: "Identity Crisis" - Beverly inoculates Leijten with kayolane after the latter's blood chemistry changes and after she exhibits strange behavior.

Kedion

Naturally occurring. Resets positronic matrices.

• TNG: "Descent, Part II" - Used by Commander La Forge and Captain Picard to reboot Data's ethical program after Lore disabled it.

Kemacite

Origin unknown. Highly unstable and dangerous material. When exposed to nuclear radiation, kemacite can cause unusual temporal phenomena. Smuggling kemacite is a serious offense.

• DS9: "Little Green Men" - In 2372, Quark attempts to smuggle kemacite aboard his shuttle "Quark's Treasure".

Submitted by Spike

Kemocite

Artificially generated by aliens. Substance used by the Xindi. Could this be the same as kemacite?

• ENT: "The Shipment" - Substance that has many applications, depending on the level of refinement. It is one of the key components in the Xindi weapon and is produced by a Xindi-Arboreal plant led by Gralik.

Kelbonite

Naturally occurring. Refractory metal (alloy?) found in caves of Melona IV.

• TNG: "Silicon Avatar" - Data thinks the presence of kelbonite and fistrium prevents the Crystalline Entity from scanning caves.

Kelindide

Origin unknown. Possibly an alloy.

• DS9: "The Maquis, Part I" - Used in the construction of Cardassian ships.

Ketracel white

Artificially generated by aliens. A vital, isogenic enzyme needed for the survival of the Jem'Hadar. The enzyme can only be provided by the Founders, and currently cannot be reproduced by the Federation. The Founders engineered the Jem'Hadar's addiction to this enzyme to ensure their loyalty to the Dominion.

• DS9: "The Abandoned" - Bashir is unable to reproduce the enzyme for the Jem'Hadar boy.
• DS9: "Hippocratic Oath" - Goran'Agar has succeeded in fighting his addiction for the enzyme and surviving. The Vorta are established as administrators of Ketracel white for the Jem'Hadar.
• DS9: "To the Death" - Weyoun administers the enzyme to First Omet'iklan and the other Jem'Hadar before an upcoming battle with Dominion rebels.
• DS9: "The Die Is Cast" - Enabran Tain notes that the destruction of the Founders and their homeworld means that the Jem'Hadar will be cut off from their only source of Ketracel white, thus leading to the collapse of the Dominion. Unfortunately, Tain and his armada walk into a trap as the Founders have abandoned their homeworld, and his armada is ambushed by Jem'Hadar warships.
• DS9: "A Time to Stand" - Weyoun tells Dukat that supplies of Ketracel white are needed. Sisko and company are assigned a Jem'Hadar warship to destroy a vital Ketracel white depot. A ship ahead of them beams down 110 empty canisters, and receives 110 full canisters of Ketracel white. Sisko's ship beams down 84 empty canisters (all fit with time bombs) to destroy the depot.
• DS9: "Behind the Lines" - Due to an increasingly short supply of Ketracel white, Damar proposes secretly poisoning the remaining supply before it runs out and the Jem'Hadar run amok.
• DS9: several more episodes - Ketracel white is mentioned.
• "Star Trek Insurrection" - The Son'a are known to produce Ketracel white.

Kinoplasmic radiation

Origin unknown. Nature uncertain.

• VOY: "Projections" - Lt. Barclay tells the Holodoc that his headaches are due to "kinoplasmic radiation oxidizing your brain cells."

Kironide

Naturally occurring. Induces telekinetic powers.

• TOS: "Plato's Stepchildren" - Platonians use it to hold Enterprise crew captive and force them to perform for their amusement. McCoy synthesizes the chemical so the crew can escape.

Krieger waves

Artificially generated by aliens. Exact nature unknown.

• TNG: "A Matter of Perspective" - Dr. Apgar's experiments involve the generation of Krieger waves. They burn holes in walls and decks of the Enterprise.

 

Back to Quick Reference index