Substances and Particles L-R

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Substance/Particle Submission Form

 

 

L

Ladarium

Naturally occurring. Ore, used by Cardassians in the construction of warp drives.

• DS9: "Tribunal" - A Cardassian agent who took over the identity of Raymond Boone runs a ladarium mine on Volon III.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Laser

Artificially generated by crew. Laser stands for "Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation". Unlike it was the case in the 1960's, the laser is a commonly known and widely used bit of technology today.

• "The Cage" - The crew of the Enterprise commanded by Captain Piker use laser weapons in this time, instead of phasers as in in the Kirk era.
• TNG: "Starship Mine" - Picard here uses a laser welder in order to divert and confuse some terrorists, who are holding him as a hostage in the deserted Enterprise.

Submitted by Bird of Prey

Latinum

Origin unknown. A non-replicatable material, almost definitely an element, typically pressed into bars, like gold.

• DS9: countless episodes - The Ferengi and other non-Federation worlds use bars of gold-pressed latinum as their currency.
• DS9: "Who Mourns for Morn?" - Latinum, at room temperature, is a metallic fluid.

Lepton

Naturally occurring. Particle whose "activity" indicates a wormhole shift. In real life, leptons are the "light" class of elementary particles. In the episode, it would have rather made sense if a specific particle had allowed the detection of the wormhole movement.

• TNG: "The Price" - Geordi's visor detects the activity of leptons.

Lexorin

Artificially generated by crew. A drug.

• "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock" - Appears to be injected into the hand. Kirk gives it to McCoy to make him "well enough to travel" when he is suffering from a Vulcan mind meld.

Submitted by Chad Eaton

Lithium

Naturally occurring. Lithium was used in old warp drive systems before the application of dilithium became more common. Lithium is a real-world substance and there is nothing that points to the assumption that it could be penetrated by antimatter in the same way it happens in dilithium (i.e. without getting its atoms annihilated). However, the use of lithium in warp cores prior to TOS is contradicted by ENT (maybe it is still used in old freighters).

• TOS: "Where No Man Has Gone Before" - There is a lithium splitting facility on Delta Vega.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Lucrovexitrin

Origin unknown. Highly toxic; alters molecular structure when it comes in contact with glass. Stable in a nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere.

• TNG: "Hollow Pursuits" - Ruled out by Wesley Crusher as being the cause of the injectors failing, because "selgnineam and lucrovexitrin are highly toxic."

Lydroxide

Artificially generated by aliens. A coolant used in orbital tethers of the Nezu.

• VOY: "Rise" - Vatm's water supply is contaminated with lydroxide, killing him.

 

M

Magnaton

Artificially generated by crew or by aliens. In real life, a magneton (see below) represents the magnetic dipole moment of a particle. In short, it's a measurement, not a particle. A magnaton must obviously be something else.

• VOY: "Cathexis" - Used to scan the ship for the disembodied aliens and crew.
• DS9: "Hippocratic Oath" - Picked up by O'Brien while in the Gamma Quadrant, leading to the discovery of a crashed Jem'Hadar ship.

Magneton pulse

Artificially generated by crew.

• DS9: "Rejoined" - A magneton pulse was used to form an artificial wormhole. "After we launch our target drone, the Defiant will have to generate a subspace tensor matrix in the twenty-five to thirty thousand Cochrane range. Then the drone will send out a magneton pulse which should react with the matrix and create an opening in the space-time continuum."

Submitted by Markus Göpfert

Melorazine

Artificially generated by crew. A sedative.

• TNG: "Man of the People" - Administered in a dose of 20cc to Deanna Troi.
• DIS: "Point of Light" - One of the options to treat Spock in the mental hospital.

Mercassium

Artificially generated by crew. Synthetic alloy, needed in the construction of shield systems, only used by the Federation. Strangely, this sounds like a word made by combining mercury and potassium.

• DS9: "The Maquis, Part I" - Traces of mercassium were found in the debris of the Bok'Nor.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Merculite

Artificially generated by aliens. An explosive material used in out-of-date rockets, which are no match for Federation weaponry.

• TNG: "Heart of Glory" - The Klingons who have hijacked the ship Batris use merculite rockets to destroy a pursuing Klingon ship.
• TNG: "Suddenly Human" - Captain Endar threatens to use them against the Enterprise if Picard does not release his adopted son, Jono. Riker remarks, "shades of Gulliver".

Mercurium isochromate

Origin unknown. Used in drive systems. Equally colored mercury?

• VOY: "Counterpoint" - Janeway offered Torat enough mercurium isochromate to supply his ship with energy for a whole year.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Merfadon

Artificially generated by aliens. Sedative, has no effect on patients who took makara herbs.

• DS9: "The Darkness and the Light" - Silarin Prin injects merfadon into Kira.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Meson

Naturally occurring. Particle "activity" increased prior to the wormhole reappearing and shifting its position.

• TNG: "The Price" - Geordi's visor detects the activity.

Metaphasic particles

Naturally occurring. True nature uncertain.

• "Star Trek: Insurrection" - Natural phenomenon on the Ba'ku homeworld, causing rejuvenation and prolonged life. It remains a mystery how these particles are related to the metaphasic shield, although they have to be - scientific language isn't that lackadaisical.

Metaphasic shield

Artificially generated by crew. A subspace technology that involves generating metaphasic properties.

• TNG: "Suspicions" - Results in a low intensity, non-propulsive subspace field similar to a warp field. Developed by Ferengi scientist Dr. Reygar to encapsulate a vessel from the extreme radiation and heat generated by stars. This allows the Shuttlecraft Justman to enter a star's corona.
• TNG: "Descent II" - Allows the Enterprise to enter the corona of a star to save the damaged ship from be destroyed by a Borg ship.

Methane

Naturally occurring. Real compound with the formula CH₄.

• "Star Trek: First Contact" - Data mentions that the Borgified Earth atmosphere contains a large amount of methane.

Submitted by Ari "borgboy" schwartz

Metorapan

Artificially generated by crew. A painkiller.

• TNG: "The First Duty" - Wesley Crusher is allergic to metorapan treatments, so he is treated with a bicaridine substitute instead.

Metrazene

Artificially generated by crew. A drug.

• TNG: "The Host" - Cardiac antiarrhythmic medication.

Metreon gas

Naturally occurring. Inflammable gas. High levels of exposure can infect a humanoid with metremia, a blood disease that causes its victims' cells to undergo fission.

• VOY: "Jetrel" - The Haakonians used a "metreon cascade" to conquer Rinax, a Talaxian moon. In this episode it may still have been supposed to be a particle.
• VOY: "Think Tank" - The Hazari trapped Voyager in a metreon gas cloud, where neither warp nor impulse drive works, therefore Janeway set the gas on fire to blow Voyager out of the nebula. Quite risky.
• "Star Trek: Insurrection" - The Briar Patch included instable metreon gas bubbles, which were part of the material collected with the Bussard ramscoops during the "Riker Maneuver". Its release wreaked havoc on the Son'a battleships.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Monotanium

Origin unknown. Monotanium is an extremely strong metal used in the construction of starship hulls. The "mono" prefix may refer to the idea that it may be thinner, yet stronger than tritanium.

• VOY: "Hunters" - The Hirogen ships are said to have monotanium hull plating, making them more impervious to weapons fire and scattering transporter targeting beams. This is one of the defining characteristics of a Hirogen vessel. The Hirogen seem to be the only ones to harness this metal for hulls.
• VOY: "Prey" - The Hirogen ships are said to have monotanium hull plating, making them more impervious to weapons fire. It is referred to as an "armor plating", meaning that the ship's entire hull may not be completely composed of monotanium, but rather the bulk of the ship and key areas.

Submitted by Derek Seewald

Muon

Naturally occurring. A particle. Short-lived subatomic particle classified as a lepton.

• TNG: "The Next Phase" - The power feed to the Romulan vessel is altered by the Romulans to build up in the Enterprise's engine core. This would lead to a catastrophic explosion that would destroy the Enterprise.
• DS9: "Armageddon Game" - Muon frequencies are used to destroy the Kellerun harvesters.

Update by Alex Hoffmann

Murinite

Naturally occurring. Assumed naturally occurring (like boridium) seeing as how it was used by the Hill People of the Argus River region of Rigel II. Could be a chemical compound (i.e. native stone).

• TOS: "Wolf in the Fold" - The handle of the knife used by the entity is composed of this.

Submitted by Scott Gray

 

N

Nadion

Artificially generated by crew. The TNG Technical Manual identifies "nadion" particles as the output produced by phasers.

• TNG: "The Mind's Eye" - Particle pulse (rapid nadion pulse) gauged by Data and La Forge while verifying origin of a Type-III phaser rifle, later determined to be Romulan in origin.
• DS9: "Extreme Measures" - Dr. Bashir suggests using nadion bursts to slow the progress of Odo's disease.
• VOY: "Time and Again - Janeway closes a temporal rift artificially generated by the crew by firing her phaser at it. Torres identifies the "nadion particle feedback" as the reason why the fissure is closing.

Submitted by Matt Anderson

Neurogenic field / radiation

Naturally occurring. A resident field that forms by a person's brain as part of the thought process. Each person's pattern varies depending on their current thought.

• DS9: "Life Support" - Neurogenic radiation with a level of 70 millivolts is employed by Dr. Bashir in the attempt to stimulate Vedek Bareil's brain activity.
• VOY: "Waking Moments" - Aliens form a "collective unconsciousness" by amplifying their neurogenic field and that of the Voyager crew while they are sleeping. Seven of Nine states that their collective dream is like the Borg consciousness. This is evident to the Doctor in the waking world as every crew member's neurogenic field pattern is identical.

Neuropeptide

Naturally occurring. Neuropeptides are chemical substances in the brain. Neuropeptides are indeed part of our organic system.

• VOY: "Unity" - The heightened neuropeptide levels also heighten Chakotay's telepathic receptivity. So a group of some ex-Borg drones is still able to control his mind, even after their link to Chakotay via neural transceiver has been disconnected.

Submitted by Fabian W.

Neurocine gas

Artificially generated by aliens. Anesthetic gas. Fatal if present in the air.

• DS9: "Civil Defense" - The gas is released into Deep Space 9's atmosphere as part of the Cardassian anti-revolt program.
• LOW: "Crisis Point 2: Paradoxus" - William Boimler is officially killed in an accident that exposes him to neurocine gas (and is actually recruited by Section 31).

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Neurozine (aka neurazine)

Artificially generated by crew. An anesthetic. The fact that it is used by Starfleet doctors suggests that this should not be the same as the lethal Cardassian neurocine gas. On the other hand, it has pretty much the same effect. Perhaps Starfleet employs a much lower dose of the same substance that would not be lethal.

• VOY: "Message in a Bottle" - The EMH and the Mark-2 EMH release neurozine gas into the air of the USS Prometheus NX-59650 in order to knock out the Romulan intruders.
• DS9: "Tacking into the Wind" - The gas is considered by Kira Nerys to disable (kill?) Breen engineers working on a Jem'Hadar fighter.
• LOW: "A Few Badgeys More" - Badgey takes control of the systems of the Cerritos and floods all decks with neurazine gas to incapacitate and quite possibly kill the crew.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Neutrino

Artificially generated by crew. A particle involved in several different processes. Real particle with no charge, until recently thought to have no mass.

• TNG: "A Matter of Honor" - Used to destroy hull-eating space bacteria endangering the Enterprise and Klingon ship Pagh with Riker on board.
• TNG: "The Enemy" - A neutrino emitter is used by Geordi and his Romulan colleague as a distress beacon on a planet with an atmosphere impervious to about anything else. A standard Starfleet tricorder is not equipped to detect neutrinos.
• TNG: "The Game" - Wesley has to calibrate a sensing device that uses neutrinos.
• DS9: countless episodes - Increased neutrino emissions indicate that the Bajoran Wormhole is about to open.
• DS9: "Rivals" - Martus Mazur uses a device that turns the spin of neutrinos to a preferred direction, thereby changing probabilities.
• DS9: "For the Uniform" - Eddington used a probe to create false neutrino readings of a warp core.

Neutron

Naturally occurring. A particle. Neutrons are neutral particles which, along with protons, are constituents of atomic nuclei. Neutrons not contained within a nucleus have a half-life of about 15 minutes.

• "Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country" - The improved Bird-of-Prey gives off a surge of neutron radiation just before it fires a photon torpedo.
• TNG: "The Drumhead" - Neutron fatigue is found to be the actual reason for the explosion in main engineering, which was previously believed to be sabotage.
• VOY: "Scorpion, Part I" - A schematic shows a "multikinetic neutronic mine". This appears to be an explosive device emitting neutron radiation.

Neutronium

Naturally occurring or artificially generated by aliens. A very dense and strong material. Matter composed of densely packed neutrons, held together by gravity. The material neutron stars are made of.

• TOS: "The Doomsday Machine" - The Doomsday Machine's hull is composed of neutronium. If it were pure neutronium, it would have been far too heavy to ever be able to move.
• TNG: "Relics" - The outer hull of the Dyson sphere is made of neutronium.
• DS9: "To the Death" - The inner shell of the building with the Iconian gateway is made of neutronium.

Nitrilin

Naturally occurring. Nitrilin is an extremely unstable compound used in explosive devices.

• DS9: "Improbable Cause" - Nitrilin is discovered in the wreckage after a microscopic explosive device ruptured an ODN junction causing an explosion, which was meant to silence Elim Garak.

Submitted by Park

Nitrium

Naturally occurring. A metal used in an important alloy commonly found in starships.

• TNG: "The Cost of Living" - The alloy is used for computers, replicators, stabilizers, ventilators, power transfer conduits, dilithium chamber walls and life support systems. Nitrium parasites start feeding on the ship's systems after the Enterprise destroyed their nitrium-rich asteroid. The parasites digest much of the Enterprise's nitrium into slime before Data lures them back onto the asteroids of the Peloris field.

Noranium

Naturally occurring. A metal. The melting point of one alloy with this metal is 2014°F.

• TNG: "The Vengeance Factor" - The away team fires their phasers into the noranium alloy, causing a smoke screen.

Nucleogenic particle

Naturally occurring. Dust or other particles which attract water vapor, causing rain or other precipitation to form.

• VOY: "The Caretaker" - The Ocampa homeworld's atmosphere doesn't have any, which accounts for its desolate condition.

Nucleonic particle

Artificially generated by crew. Produced by Federation replicators. Could refer to the nucleus of atoms.

• VOY: "State of Flux" - Used to detect damage to a Kazon ship at long range. The damage is later found to have been produced when a stolen Federation replicator exploded.

Nucleonic radiation

Artificially generated by aliens. Exact nature unknown. It sounds like it is composed of nuclei, although it does have some biochemical effect.

• TNG: "The Inner Light" - The Kataan probe generates a low-level nucleonic beam, rendering Picard unconscious.

 

O

Omega

Artificially generated by aliens. A highly unstable molecule that can serve as a virtually inexhaustible power source.

• VOY: "The Omega Directive" - The drawback of Omega is that it reacts violently with subspace, making warp travel in the affected area impossible. Thus, after failed Federation experiments, it is ordered that it be destroyed by any Starfleet ship that encounters it, even at the expense of abandoning the Prime Directive. It is thought that they were once naturally occurring, and may have supplied the energy to initiate the Big Bang. It is also known by the Borg as Particle 010 and is kind of worshipped by them as "perfection". As Voyager cruises along, the Omega symbol is suddenly displayed on all monitors as the computer detects Omega, and tells Janeway that the Omega Directive is now in effect. Some aliens are messing with Omega and their experiment has already destroyed subspace in their local system. Voyager then swoops in to destroy Omega. Seven builds a containment unit to temporarily hold the molecule, and just before it is destroyed, manages to do the impossible, and stabilize it. It is weird that a molecule is supposed to be the most powerful power source to exist. So far it was chemical reaction, nuclear fission, nuclear fusion, matter/antimatter reaction and (at least in the Star Trek Universe) zero point energy, in ascending order. The designation "molecule" suggests that something like a chemical reaction is involved, but this is obviously not possible. Considering that there are other materials like dilithium or verterium cortenide with miraculous properties, this might apply to Omega likewise. The problem is where the energy supposed to be released comes from. If Omega is "synthesized" as mentioned in the episode, one would probably have to put the same amount of energy into the synthesis than can be obtained later. This can hardly be the solution of energy problems.

Omicron particle

Naturally occurring. May be used as a power source.

• DS9: "Shadowplay" - Emitted by holographic generator. The projections/people consist of these particles.
• VOY: "The Cloud" - Thought to be a substitute for antimatter for the warp drives, as well as fuel for the replicators.
• VOY: "Nemesis" - Chakotay is conducting a survey mission to a planet with a high concentration of omicron particles in the atmosphere when his shuttle comes under attack.

 

P

Paralithium

Origin unknown. Used to power Akritirian ion-based drive systems, can be (as well as dilithium) converted to trilithium. Si-lithium, di-lithium, tri-lithium, para-lithium and even "lithium" itself, and none of these substances has apparently anything to do with the real-world element lithium. It's rather related to all of the above mentioned lithium-variants but silithium.

• VOY: "The Chute" - Terrorists use it to synthesize trilithium for a bomb.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Particle signature

Naturally occurring. A characteristic unique to each universe.

• TNG: "Parallels" - Used to prove that Worf is indeed in an alternate universe and find the correct universe to return him to.

Peridaxon

Artificially generated by crew. Medication used to manage Irumodic Syndrome. Not a cure.

• TNG: "All Good Things" - Picard is taking Peridaxon to help with his Irumodic Syndrome in a future alternate timeline.

Submitted by Fidel Melgoza

Pergium

Naturally occurring. Used to regenerate environmental controls filters.

• TOS: "Devil in the Dark" - The crew beams down to a planet that mines pergium for the Federation, to investigate the recent deaths of several pergium miners.
• VOY: "Fair Trade" - Janeway lists pergium as one of the needs that Voyager is to barter for. Submitted with other requests to the space station's manager.
• DS9: "Prodigal Daughter" - The Tigan family runs a pergium mine on New Sydney.
• LOW: "Caves" - Mariner and the Delta Shift ensigns use pergium found in a cave to power up the engine of the crashed shuttle.

Update by Alex Hoffmann

Phospholipid fiber

Naturally occurring. An organic compound. In real life, phospholipids are fatty acids with phosphate groups attached. They are small and naturally occur only as liposomes and bilayer sheets, and as monolayer spheres called micelles. But they never form "fibers." Phospholipid bilayers are what cell membranes are mostly made of.

• VOY: "The Cloud" - Torres gives this as a possible identification for the blue material found on the hull.

Photonic energy

Naturally occurring. Emitted from the surface of a protostar. A fancy name for light.

• VOY: "Heroes and Demons" - The life form that uses the holodeck to kidnap crew members is made up of photonic energy. Clearly the photonic beings, like any "energy lifeform" in Star Trek, have a severe problem, because the photons of which they are composed only exist while they are moving at light speed.
• VOY: "Bride of Chaotica" - The beings in the episode are made of photonic energy too.

Plasma

Naturally occurring or artificially generated by crew or aliens. Occurs in several gaseous phenomena. Used to distribute power on starships. A very hot, ionized gas. The atoms in plasma have enough kinetic energy that the electrons are torn from their nuclei, ionizing the gas.

• TNG, DS9, VOY, ENT: countless episodes - The electroplasma system (EPS) distributes power throughout the ship. Warp plasma is used to power the warp coils in the nacelles. Plasma is vented if the nacelles are damaged or purposely if the nacelles would otherwise overheat.
• TNG: "Disaster" - A plasma fire breaks out in a cargo bay.
• "Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country" - Plasma emissions are used to detect a cloaked Klingon Bird-of-Prey.

Polaric ion

Artificially generated by aliens. Used as a power generation system.

• VOY: "Time and Again" - Used as a very unstable power generation system, which the Voyager crew has to prevent from exploding.

Polaron

Artificially generated by crew. A particle with various exotic properties. In real-world condensed matter physics, a polaron is a type of mobile crystal defect consisting of an electron coupled to an induced lattice polarization. But this polaron, like the hole familiar from the semiconductor principle, is only a quasi-particle that could be responsible for hardly any of the effects observed in Star Trek.

• DS9: "The Jem'Hadar" - A phased polaron beam is used by the Jem'Hadar to penetrate the shields of the USS Odyssey.
• DS9: "Apocalypse Rising" - Four polaron emitters are supplied to Capt. Sisko and his strike force for use while infiltrating Ty'Gokor to expose the Dominion changeling believed to be masquerading as a senior official in the Klingon government (i.e., Chancellor Gowron). When activated in concert, the emitters would cover 13000m³ and would force a changeling to revert to a gelatinous state. A changeling impersonating General Martok is later discovered to be the actual Dominion operative.
• VOY: "State of Flux" - Used to detect a hidden Kazon ship.
• VOY: "Non Sequitur" - Harry Kim scans the time stream with polarons, thus partially causing a distortion of the space-time continuum.
• VOY: "The Swarm" - Used by the swarm to interconnect their ships.
• VOY: "Displaced" - Torres detects a buildup of polaron particles a few seconds before a member of the crew disappears. The particles are caused by the Nyrian translocation device.

Polyduranide

Artificially generated by crew. Structural material.

• TNG Technical Manual - Forms part of the skeletal structure of the Enterprise-D. And, one assumes, of most Federation starships.

Submitted by Michael Warren

Positron

Naturally occurring. A particle. Real antimatter version of an electron.

• TNG: various episodes - Data's brain is "positronic." The term was originally used in the context of a robot's brain by Isaac Asimov, who (according to his essay,Cybernetic Organism) used it because the then newly-discovered positron was similar to an electron, but "positronic" sounded more exotic than "electronic." In other words, Data's brain is not really composed of antimatter.
• TNG: "Datalore" - The away team mentions that Dr. Soong wanted to make Asimov's dream of a positronic brain a reality. Lore later confirms that this is the nature of his brain and Data's.
• TNG: "The Nth Degree" - When normal scans prove ineffective against the alien probe, Geordi tells Barclay to "try a positron scan."
• DS9: "Life Support" - A positronic implant is used to prolong Vedek Bareil's life.
• PIC: "Remembrance" - Fractal neuronic cloning would allow to reconstitute "Data's entire code, even his memories, from a single positronic neuron".
• PIC: "Nepenthe" - When Thaddeus Troi-Riker was diagnosed with mendaxic neurosclerosis, a therapy with cells cultivated in a positronic matrix could have cured him, but the technology was outlawed in the Federation.

Preanimate matter

Naturally occurring. Matter that is very close to being classified as a form of life, but doesn't quite make the grade.

• "Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan "- Chekov says this might be responsible for causing an energy flux in one dyno-scanner.

Promethean quartz

Naturally occurring. Valuable mineral that glows with an internal light.

• DS9: "Q-Less" - Vash discovers a similar geode resembling Promethean quartz in the Gamma Quadrant and nearly destroys the station with a graviton field.

Protomatter

Origin unknown. An unstable form of matter used by David Marcus as a shortcut in the construction of the Genesis Device.

• "Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan" - Because of the instability of protomatter, the Genesis Planet begins to age geologically at an accelerated rate. The resurrected Spock-child also ages rapidly, allowing Spock to regain his katra at about the same age as he was when he died.
• DS9: "Second Sight" - Protomatter is used in the probe to re-ignite a star.
• DS9: "The Maquis, Part I" - Protomatter is used in the device that destroys the Cardassian freighter Bok'Nor.
• DS9: "By Inferno's Light" - Protomatter is used in the device supposed to blow up the Bajoran central star.

Proton

Naturally occurring. An elementary particle. Positively charged baryon with a virtually infinite life span. Protons occur in all atomic nuclei.

• VOY: "Death Wish" - Voyager is "attacked by protons" when Q(uinn) sends the ship back in time, not long after the Big Bang, to evade pursuing Q. Capt. Janeway suggests emitting negative ions to help repel the protons.

Protoplasm

Naturally occurring. An organic material. Makes up the interior of cells in living matter.

• TOS: "The Immunity Syndrome" - The giant amoeba has an interior consisting of protoplasm.

Psilocsynine

Naturally occurring. A neurotransmitter involved in telepathy.

• TNG: "Eye of the Beholder" - Deanna Troi's levels of psilosynine are very high after an empathically induced hallucination.
• TNG: "Dark Page" - Lwaxana Troi's levels of psilosynine are very high after her work with the Cairn.

Pulse compression wave

Artificially generated by crew. Used to increase the power of a phaser blast.

• DS9: "Emissary" - Used to increase the power of Deep Space 9's phasers against Gul Jasad's fleet.

Pyroclastics

Naturally occurring. Rock formed by volcanic activity. A real-life geological term.

• VOY: "Macrocosm" - The Doctor beams down to the Garan mining colony to investigate the virus. In the process of scanning the walls granite and pyroclastics are found.

 

Q

Quadrolin

Artificially generated by aliens. Used as drug in Malcorian hospitals.

• TNG: "First Contact" - Malcorian doctors intend to treat Riker with this medicine before they find out that he is an alien.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Quantum filament

Naturally occurring. An elongated subatomic object, hundreds of meters long, but possessing almost no mass.

• TNG: "Disaster" - Collison with a quantum filament causes heavy damage to the ship. Troi asks O'Brien if a quantum filament is a kind of cosmic string; O'Brien says it is something completely different.

Quaratum

Artificially generated by crew. Used in thruster packs. This is the correct spelling of the substance previously listed as "corudum", according to the Fact Files.

• TNG: "Disaster" - Geordi and Beverly have to get rid of the containers of quaratum, because the plasma fire is overheating them. They open the cargo bay doors and release the containers into space.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

 

R

Radioactive radiation

Naturally occurring or artificially generated by crew. Collective term for different forms of radiation. The radioactive radiation consists of alpha rays (helium nuclei), beta rays (electrons) and gamma rays (electromagnetic rays). It occurs wherever nuclei of atoms fall apart (mostly "bigger" atoms like the ones of uranium). The technological ability of using the energy caused by nuclear reactions led to many inventions, like the nuclear power plant and the atomic bomb - inventions which changed our world in more than one way...

• TNG: "Thine Own Self" - Data loses his memory during a mission on a planet where he collects radioactive pieces of metal, which were brought by a crashed deep space probe onto this planet. He soon enters a village and sells the radioactive pieces, not remembering how dangerous they really are. After several village people got a mysterious disease, Data finds out that they were contaminated by the metal pieces he sold.

Submitted by Bird of Prey

Retnax

Artificially generated by crew. Used to improve eyesight.

• "Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan" - In the beginning of the movie, McCoy gives Kirk a set of bifocals for his birthday since Kirk is allergic to Retnax V.

Rhodium nitrite

Naturally occurring. Ore of inferior quality. Someone with better knowledge of chemistry may tell us if this compound would be viable.

• DS9: "For The Uniform" - The Maquis combine it with other substances to synthesize cobalt diselenide.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Riboviroxicnucleic acid

Naturally occurring. Like DNA, except the number of riboviroxicnucleic acid structures increase as the biological organism ages. In other words, without these structures, we wouldn't be able to "grow up."

• TNG: "Rascals" - Beverly notices that several riboviroxicnucleic acid structures are missing in Picard, Ro, Guinan, and Keiko. Their original structures are taken from past physical exams and loaded into the transporter buffer to allow the four to regain their "adult" age.

Ryetalyn

Naturally occurring. A mineral.

• TOS: "Requiem for Methuselah" - The crew needs it to combat an epidemic on another planet.

Rodinium

Naturally occurring. Cast rodinium is the hardest substance known to Federation science.

• TOS: "Balance of Terror" - The outer protective layers of Federation outposts along the Romulan Neutral Zone are composed of this material. However, even with an outpost buried miles underground, it provided insufficient defense against the Romulan energy weapon. A piece of the destroyed shield is crushed by Spock.

Rubindium

Origin unknown. A non-toxic crystalline substance. This may have been supposed to be the real-world element rubidium, altered through a typo.

• TOS: "Patterns Of Force " - Rubindium crystals are component elements of Starfleet subcutaneous transponders. Kirk and Spock have these monitoring devices inserted into them, but upon capture they use the crystals to generate a primitive laser.
• DIS: "Far From Home": Rubindium is needed for the Discovery's transtators, which enable communication.
• DIS: "Mirrors": Moll's mother had to work in a rubindium mine and died there after her father had left.

 

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