Substances and Particles S-Z

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Substance/Particle Submission Form

 

 

S

Saltzgadum

Origin unknown. Can alter molecular structure when it comes into contact with glass and exist in a nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere.

• TNG: "Hollow Pursuits" - Saltzgadum is not the substance that caused the malfunctions aboard the Enterprise. La Forge says: "...yeah, we'd all be dead by now. That leaves saltzgadum and invidium"

Sarium

Origin unknown. Used in the construction of space stations.

• VOY: "Real Life" - The Vostigye built a research station whose structure contained boronite and sarium.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Sarium krellide

Origin unknown. Can store large amounts of energy.

• TNG: "In Theory" - Sarium krellide is mentioned as being vital to the engines of Federation shuttlecraft.
• TNG Technical Manual - Sarium krellide cells are used to power Federation hand phasers.

Scalosian water

Naturally occurring. Causes metabolic acceleration, such that anyone who drinks it begins moving extremely quickly.

• TOS: "Wink of an Eye" - Deela places the Scalosian water in Kirk's coffee, so as to accelerate him to her "level."

Selenium

Naturally occurring. An element. A real element, Se, atomic number: 34.

• TNG: "Final Mission" - The "Guardian" on Lambda Paz uses glass-like selenium fibers to cover everything that comes close to the water source.
• DS9: "For the Uniform" - The Maquis steal selenium to synthesize cobalt diselenide.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Selgnineam

Origin unknown. Highly toxic; can alter molecular structure when it comes in contact with glass and exists in a nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere. An Easter egg: try spelling it backwards!

• TNG: "Hollow Pursuits" - It is ruled out as the reason that the injectors are locked.

Serotonin

Naturally occurring. Neurotransmitter. In real life, helps the human brain maintain mental equilibrium.

• VOY: "The Gift" - An increased level of serotonin in Kes's brain leads to her psychokinetic abilities.

Silicon

Naturally occurring. According to some theories, lifeforms based upon silicon could possibly exist. Silicon is the real world element atomic number 14. The theory about silicon-based life is not that far-fetched, keeping in mind silicon belongs to the same atomic group as carbon, the element we are based upon.

• TOS: "The Devil in the Dark" - Horta happens to be a silicon-based lifeform. It makes sense that a silicon-based lifeform can digest many sorts of stone (silicon compounds). Horta's eggs have the same purplish color (that sometimes appears greenish) that silicon possesses once it is oxidized.

Submitted by Bird of Prey

Silithium

Naturally occurring. Can be found in comets; silithium and verteron-particles tend to explode if they get close to each other. Because of its strange properties, it is rather unlikely that it is in some way related to silicon.

• DS9: "Destiny" - A silithium-based comet is feared to destroy the Bajoran wormhole, which contains verteron particles.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Sirillium

Naturally occurring. Occurs in nebulae/gaseous anomalies in Delta and Alpha Quadrants. Highly combustible.

• VOY: "Flashback" - Collected by Voyager for use as an energy source; used by Sulu to disable Klingons.

Solanogen

Naturally occurring. A substance, as carbon is, upon which a form of life is based.

• TNG: "Schisms" - Trans-dimensional creatures who are abducting members of the crew for medical experimentation are thought by Commander Data to be "solanogen-based" and have to create "pockets" in our universe to survive for short periods of time. These pockets can be detected by their emissions of tetryon particles.

Soliton wave

Artificially generated by crew. A subspace effect capable of propelling vessels at warp speeds without built-in warp drive. In real life, a wave whose energy doesn't diminish.

• TNG: "New Ground" - Enterprise participates in a test of using a soliton wave as a propulsion system. Just as we could expect, the experiment utterly fails.

Sonambutril

Artificially generated by crew. Powerful sedative & analgesic. Commander Tucker noted this drug could "drop a horse".

• ENT: "Observer Effect" - Assuages pain while allaying irritability or excitement.

Submitted by Scott Manninen

Sonodanite

Artificially generated by aliens. Used in starcraft construction.

• TNG: "Final Mission" - Traces of sonodanite point to debris of the Nenebek that carried Picard and Wesley.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Sorium

Origin unknown. An explosive compound.

• DS9: "The Nagus" - Used in Ferengi locator bomb intended to kill Quark.

Sporocystic toxin

Artificially generated by crew. Splits an enzyme which is crucial for the sporocystic cell-structure. Its application paralyzes sporocystic lifeforms as the Nacene.

• VOY: "Cold Fire" - Tuvok synthesizes the venom and fills it into a device that is used like a phaser (the toxin is released in form of an energy-like beam). The poison knocks out Suspiria during her attempt to destroy Voyager.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Static warp bubble

Artificially generated by crew. An anomaly that creates a new universe whose nature can be affected by the individual trapped inside.

• TNG: "Remember Me" - Beverly Crusher is stuck in a static warp bubble due to an experiment by Wesley.

Steelplast

Artificially generated by aliens. A construction material. This sounds like a trade name rather than a scientific designation.

• TNG: "Too Short a Season" - In the tunnels of Mordan IV, the away team runs into a dead end, where a tunnel used to be. Geordi's visor indicates the sealant as steelplast, which was recently installed.

Stenophyle

Artificially generated by crew. A pharmaceutical.

• VOY: "Nothing Human" - It is injected into the zytoplasmic lifeform.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Stokaline

Origin unknown. Neutral substance.

• TOS: "By Any Other Name" - Doctor McCoy requests "emergency hyposprays" filled with stokaline in order to prove to the Kelvans that Spock's pretended Rigellian Kassaba fever is real.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Styrolite

Artificially generated by crew. A non-opaque material used in packaging. It is biologically sterile and can be used to package potentially biologically hazardous substances.

• TNG: "Unnatural Selection" - Styrolite is used to contain a person in suspended animation for medical examination without threat of contagion.

Subnucleonic radiation

Naturally occurring. Destructive radiation emitted by subatomic particles in Mutara-class nebulae.

• VOY: "One" - The Voyager crew, except Seven, has to be put into stasis until the subnucleonic radiation level is low enough.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Synaptizine

Artificially generated by crew. Medicine used in case of a neuroleptic shock. The name suggests that it could have some effect on the synapses.

• VOY: "Riddles" - The Holodoc tries to treat Tuvok with synaptizine after he has suffered a neuroleptic shock caused by a Ba'neth weapon.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Synthehol

Artificially generated by crew and by aliens. An alcohol substitute that permits one to enjoy the taste of alcoholic beverages without the deleterious effects.

• TNG: "Relics" - Mr. Scott finds syntheholic scotch a poor substitute for the real thing.
• TNG, DS9, VOY: several episodes - Synthehol is mentioned.

 

T

Tachyon

Naturally occurring or artificially generated by crew. A particle moving faster than light, involved in several other effects. Tachyons are hypothetical particles, postulated by some real physics theories. There is no proof of their existence.

• TNG: "Redemption, Part II" - A Tachyon grid, formed by 16 Starfleet ships, is used to detect cloaked Romulan ships that attempt to cross the border to the Klingon Empire.
• TNG: "Face of the Enemy" - When told by a disguised Troi to cross the Neutral Zone, Commander Toreth opposes by speculating that the Federation may have set up a tachyon net (similar to the one used in "Redemption, Part II") to detect Romulan ships.
• TNG: "All Good Things" - An "inverse tachyon beam" is used to probe a space-time anomaly, and ultimately results in its creation because of the paradox of antitime.
• DS9: "Explorers" - Naturally occurring eddies of tachyons propeld Sisko's Bajoran sailing ship into warp.
• DIS: "Choose to Live" - Tachyons are always present at the birth of a wormhole.

Talgonite

Artificially generated by aliens. A ceramic substance.

• TNG: "The Inner Light" - Used in the construction of the Kataan probe.

Tantalus field

Artificially generated by aliens. Causes disruption of matter, like a phaser, but can be formed at a distance. In Greek mythology, Tantalus was a king who served the flesh of his son to the gods; he was punished with eternal thirst and hunger.

• TOS: "Mirror, Mirror" - Mirror Kirk has a Tantalus field generator in his quarters, and uses it to eliminate his rivals without revealing that he is behind their disappearance.

Tekasite

Origin unknown. When combined with trilithium and protomatter it can turn a sun into a supernova.

• DS9: "By Inferno's Light" - The Changeling in the shape of Doctor Bashir intends to blow up the Bajoran sun with this substance.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Tellerium

Origin unknown. Crystal used to stabilize the harmonic reactions inside the dilithium chamber of Voyager's matter/antimatter power reactor.

• VOY: "Resistance" - Janeway is wounded while Tuvok and Torres are taken prisoners by the Mokra, a tyrannical military regime, during an expedition to find tellerium.

Temporal wake

Artificially generated by aliens. Side effect of time travel; can cause nearby objects to shift in time along with the ship that's generating a temporal distortion. Objects in a temporal wake exist outside a linear timeline.

• "Star Trek: First Contact" - The Enterprise rides the Borg sphere's temporal wake into the past to keep them from destroying Earth's future. The wake also prevents the Enterprise from ceasing to exist due to the Borg's attack on the Phoenix.

Terakine

Artificially generated by crew. Pharmaceutical used as painkiller.

• TNG: "The Pegasus" - Riker gets ten cubic centimeters of this medicine after Worf has broken one of his ribs during bat'leth training.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Terikon

Origin unknown. A particle whose nature is unknown.

• TNG: "Gambit" - Whilst searching through the stolen artifacts, Captain Picard uses the decay profile of terikon particles in the pieces to search for the Stone of Gol.

Terminium

Origin unknown. A metal or alloy.

• "Star Trek: The Search for Spock" - Used in the casing of photon torpedoes.

Tetraburnium

Artificially generated by crew and by aliens. A tetraburnium alloy is used in the construction of starcraft hulls.

• VOY: "Extreme Risk" - The Delta Flyer and the Malon shuttle have hull platings that are made of a tetraburnium alloy.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Tetralubisol

Artificially generated by crew. Highly volatile lubricant used on starships.

• TOS: "The Conscience of the King" - Lenore Karidian attempts to kill Kevin Riley by poisoning his milk with tetralubisol.

Tetrovaline

Artificially generated by crew. Sedative commonly used in Starfleet. Its application causes unconsciousness, it's also able to weaken the immune system.

• VOY: "Good Shepherd" - The hypochondriac William Telfer wants the Doctor to give him a tetrovaline injection.
• DIS: "Point of Light" - One of the options to treat Spock in the mental hospital.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Tetryon

Artificially generated by aliens. Subspace particle; shouldn't be found in normal space.

• TNG: "Schisms" - Evidence of the alien abductions.
• TNG: "Tapestry" - A compressed tetryon beam nearly kills Captain Picard.
• TNG: "Suspicions" - Jo'Bril has been exposed to a tetryon field just before his death in the metaphasic shielded shuttle.
• DS9: "Necessary Evil" - The scanners inside Deep Space 9 do not normally detect tetryon beams. Quark is attacked with such a weapon.
• DS9: "Blood Oath" - Klingon disruptor banks are modulated to emit tetryon particles and deactivate the Albino's phasers.
• DS9: "Visionary" - Sisko tells the Romulan delegation that they have traced the tetryon emissions from an orbiting Warbird poised to attack the station.
• DS9: "The Die is Cast" - Commander Eddington sabotages the tetryon compositor in the Defiant's cloaking device.
• VOY: "Caretaker" - A coherent tetryon beam is used by the Caretaker to scan Voyager.

Thalaron radiation

Artificially generated by aliens. A radiation known for its biogenic properties, banned in the Federation.

• "Star Trek Nemesis" - Causes all biological matter in range to die.

Submitted by Daniel Jewell and Zach Cardwell

Thallium

Naturally occurring. Thallium compound is found in rocks. It interferes with Federation sensors. A real element with the symbol Tl and atomic number 81.

• TNG: "Who Watches the Watchers" - The Enterprise's sensors are unable to locate Palmer, one of the scientists that was assigned to the Mintaka III duck blind. As a result of his falling out of the duck blind due to an explosion, he cannot be found. Data speculates this could be due to a thallium compound in the surrounding rock face.

Thalmerite

Artificially generated by aliens. Highly explosive material.

• DS9: "Dramatis Personae" - The Klingon first officer Hon'Tihl blows up his ship, the IKS Toh'Kaht, with thalmerite.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Thelomium-847

Artificially generated by crew. A stabilizing agent. The ending "-ium" and the appended number insinuates that this is a radioactive isotope. But the number of 847 nucleons seems to high. Perhaps thelomium-847 is a misnomer for a compound of a radioactive element?

• PIC: "Dominion" - Thelomium-847 was used in the experiments with Changelings in the Project Proteus. Because of its long half-life, the substance can be used to track the Changelings that received Vadic's enhancements.

Theragen

Artificially generated by aliens. Nerve gas usually used by Klingons, lethal in pure form.

• TOS: "The Tholian Web" - McCoy dilutes it with alcohol to counteract the maddening effects of interspace. Goes well with scotch.

Submitted by John Bogan and Alex Hoffmann

Thermocement

Artificially generated by crew. Material consisting mainly of silicon, used by Starfleet to build emergency accommodations.

• TOS: "The Devil in the Dark" - Bones uses thermocement to heal the wounds of a silicon-based lifeform called Horta.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Theta band emissions

Artificially generated by crew and by aliens. Sort of subspace radiation, used for communication, the Starfleet theta band communication frequencies A, B and C can be masked as ordinary subspace background radiation. This is obviously supposed to be something different than theta radiation.

• TNG: "Chain of Command, Part I" - The Cardassians are suspected to use theta band carrier waves to transport metagenic weapons. Theta band emissions from Celtris III lead to the supposition that a weapons lab could be located there.
• "Star Trek Generations" - Geordi detects theta band emissions that may emerge from trilithium.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Theta radiation

Naturally occurring. Toxic radiation consisting of subspace energy. Blocks the sensors of Federation starships. Yes it's toxic and it's radiation, but don't worry, we have an inoculation for that...

• "Star Trek: First Contact" - Lily Sloane has a theta ray intoxication caused by a leak in the Phoenix's throttle system. After this has been discovered, Doctor Crusher inoculates the Enterprise crew against theta rays.
• VOY: "The Omega Directive" - Janeway gets inoculated against theta radiation emitted by the Omega molecules.
• VOY: "Night" - The Malon dispose large amounts of toxic waste contaminated with theta radiation.
• VOY: "Juggernaut" - Theta radiation escapes from a leak in a Malon freighter. Torres gets inoculated against it before she goes aboard the ship. Theta-radiation is said to finally kill Malon crewmen.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Theta-xenon

Naturally occurring. Occurs in nebulae. This sounds like a xenon isotope.

• VOY: "Flashback" - The Azure-Nebula contains theta-xenon beside sirillium, argon, fluorine and oxygen, according to Tuvok.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Thorium

Naturally occurring. An element used in fission power systems. A real-world element with an atomic number of 90.

• DS9: "Crossover" - Used aboard Terok Nor (Mirror), and most likely aboard "our" Terok Not too.

Thoron

Naturally occurring. Radioactive isotope by-product from the decay of thorium. A real-world isotope also known as radon 220.

• DS9: "If Wishes Were Horses" - Elevated thoron emissions accompany the appearance of aliens in the Denorios Belt. In Star Trek, it seems that thoron is meant to be an elementary particle, rather than a heavy isotope.
• DS9: "The Emissary" - A thoron field is used as a shield against Cardassian sensors by the crew of Deep Space 9 to hide the true strength of the station.
• DS9: "The Way of the Warrior" - Martok suspects that thoron emissions create false sensor readings of new weapons on Deep Space 9. Likely a reference to the bluff played in "Emissary".

Update by Michael Warren

Titanium

Naturally occurring. A metal. Naturally occurring element, present in limited quantities on Earth. Used in alloys to strengthen metal and in the construction of the Blackbird SR-71 spy plane.

• "Star Trek: First Contact" - Lily says that it has taken her months just to gather together enough titanium for a four-meter square cockpit for Zefram Cochrane's warp drive test ship, the Phoenix.

Toh-maire gas

Naturally occurring. Indigenous name of the Rakhari for a highly instable and therefore easily combustible gas inside the Chamra vortex. Concerning its instable properties it's similar to sirillium and metreon gas, so it's a typical "explosive-gaseous-anomaly-saves-the-day"-gas.

• DS9: "Vortex" - Ah-kel's ship is destroyed by an explosion of a bubble of toh-maire gas.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Topaline

Naturally occurring. Rare and therefore valuable ore, used in environmental control systems of both the Federation and Klingons.

• TOS: "Friday's Child" - Topaline depositories on Capella IV are the subject of a dispute over mining concessions between the Federation and Klingons.
• ENT: "The Shipment" - Topaline ore interferes with Xindi-Reptilian (and perhaps other) sensors. One of two revisited chemical compounds in this episode. A rare occasion.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann and Harry Doddema

Transparent aluminum

Artificially generated by crew. Just what the name implies, a translucent metal. In real life, aluminum oxynitride is a transparent substance that is both lighter and many times stronger than glass or plastic of the same thickness.

• "Star Trek: The Voyage Home" - Scotty shows a scientist how to make it, in exchange for a supply of Plexiglass to build a whale tank. Since aluminum can't be supposed to be transparent and Scotty devised something remotely similar to a chemical formula, I assume it's a compound.

Submitted by Andrew Towstik

Trellium-D

Naturally occurring or artificially generated by aliens. A compound. Used as an insulation against the effects of the Expanse.

• ENT: "The Xindi" - Trellium-D is said to be valuable and is mined on a planet.
• ENT: "Anomaly" - Starships operating in the Expanse use Trellium-D as an insulation against the spatial anomalies.
• ENT: "Rajiin" - Trellium-A is quite common. Trellium-D may be synthesized as a liquid, but is very unstable.
• ENT: "Impulse" - Trellium-D is found in asteroid fields. It is a compound. Trellium-D in high concentrations may severely damage the synaptic pathways of Vulcans.

Submitted by Mark Mendel

Trevium

Naturally occurring. A substance that reacts with trimagnesite to produce non-visible, ultraviolet radiation.

• TOS: "Operation - Annihilate!" - Satellites containing trimagnesite and trevium are placed in orbit over the planet Deneva to kill parasites that have taken over the bodies of the inhabitants.

Triadium

Origin unknown. A metal.

• VOY: "Rise" - Triadium is found in the artificial asteroids used by the Etanian Order to bombard the Nezu colony.

Trianium

Artificially generated by aliens. Used in fusion-based power sources.

• VOY: "The '37s" - Kim and Chakotay locate the alien stasis chamber by tracking down trianium readings.

Trianoline

Artificially generated by crew. Pharmaceutical used to reanimate patients.

• VOY: "Caretaker" - Trianoline is the first medicine the Doctor requests after being activated for the first time.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Triceron

Origin unknown. An explosive compound.

• TNG: "Reunion" - Used in the bomb that explodes during the Son'chi ceremony.

Tricesium

Origin unknown. Probably an artificially generated alloy, warp cores are coated with tricesium, and it can be converted to a power source.

• VOY: "The Void" - The Voyager crew gather tricesium from an abandoned ship in the void.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Triclenidil

Artificially generated by aliens. A chemical.

• TNG: "The Hunted" - Used by the Angosians to improve their soldiers.

Tricobalt

Origin unknown. An explosive. May have something to do with three cobalt atoms, but is more likely an element of its own (or maybe a compound?).

• TOS: "A Taste of Armageddon" - While the Enterprise is in orbit it is classified destroyed by a tricobalt satellite explosion in the war, which is carried on by computers between Eminiar 7 and Vendikar.
• VOY: "Caretaker" - A tricobalt weapon is used by Janeway to destroy the Caretaker's array to prevent the Kazon from getting their hands on it.

Tricordrazine

Artificially generated by crew. Pharmaceutical given with a hypospray, works against neural damages. Obviously something "more advanced" than cordrazine.

• TNG: "Shades of Gray" - Doctor Pulaski gives Riker this medicine.
• DIS: "Erigah" - Dr. Culber administers tricordrazine to L'ak, who increases the dose to become lethal.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Tricyanate

Naturally occurring. A toxic, inorganic substance that forms pink crystals. They are difficult and expensive to synthesize. Decontamination of tricyanate in a water supply requires the highly volatile hytritium.

• TNG: "The Most Toys" - Synthesized tricyanate crystals are used to poison the water supply at a Federation colony so that Data can be kidnapped by Kivas Fajo to add him to his collection of unique items.

Trigammanite

Naturally occurring. Mineral found in caves. Can possibly be used to boost a comm signal instead of gammanite.

• LOW: "Caves" - Boimler, Mariner, Rutherford and Tendi find no gammanite but trigammanite in the cave they are trapped in.

Trigenic vapor

Naturally occurring. Contains high levels of proteins and amino acids. It is a vital source of nutrition for specific alien species. At high levels, can cause severe humanoid skin irritation.

• VOY: "Parturition" - A Class-M planet named "Planet Hell", whose atmosphere contains high levels of this gas, is encountered by Voyager on the search search to replenish the food supplies.

Trilithium

Artificially generated by crew and by aliens. Highly volatile. May be related to dilithium in some fashion.

• TNG: "Starship Mine" - Terrorists attempt to steal a canister of trilithium resin from the Enterprise's warp core to make a weapon.
• VOY: "The Chute" - Paris and Kim are accused of planting a trilithium bomb in a crowded market. In fact, the bomb was placed by a brother and sister duo belonging to the Open Sky terrorist group.
• "Star Trek Generations" - Used to collapse a star by dampening the energies in its core. Curiously, Riker doesn't know trilithium here, although it is a by-product of the Enterprise's warp core...
• DS9: "Image in the Sand" - Component of Romulan plasma torpedoes. Kira: "High concentrations of trilithium isotopes..." - Odo: "Which would indicate the presence of Romulan plasma torpedoes."

Update by Markus Göpfert

Trillium 323

Naturally occurring. A mineral substance. It is unlikely that "323" denotes the number of nuclei of a particular trillium isotope, because in this case the number looks like it should belong to an already known element.

• TOS: "Errand of Mercy" - Spock pretends to be a trillium dealer.
• TNG: "The Price" - Used as a bargaining tool in the Chrysalian bid for the Bazaran Wormhole.
• DS9: "Trials and Tribble-ations" - Arne Darvin poses as a trillium dealer.

Trimagnesite

Naturally occurring. A substance that reacts with trevium to produce ultraviolet radiation.

• TOS: "Operation - Annihilate!" - Satellites containing trimagnesite and trevium are placed in orbit over the planet Deneva to kill parasites that have taken over the bodies of the inhabitants.

Trinesium

Artificially generated by aliens. An artificially-produced metallic substance.

• ENT: "Cogenitor" - Used by the Vissians for their ships' hulls - including the "stratopod", in which Captains Drennik and Archer explore the hyper-giant. Capable of withstanding "18000 degrees". It is not clear to which temperature scale this value refers to - probably Celsius.

Submitted by James Burke

Trinimbic interference

Naturally occurring. An atmospheric phenomenon. Disruptive to transporter technology, Federation targeting systems and apparently too "turbulent" for a shuttle. In real life, "-nimbus" is a meteorological suffix indicating that a cloud produces rain.

• VOY: "The 37's" - Prevents beaming to site of in-stasis humans; prevents use of shuttles, so Janeway decides to land Voyager instead. Prevents Voyager from assisting in a small-arms battle by interfering with the targeting systems.

Trinitrogen chloride

Artificially generated by aliens. Aka TNC. A cleaning agent with applications to explosives. N₃Cl, a molecule that could not possibly exist in real life.

• DS9: "Things Past" - TNC is used in a plasma grenade in an attempt to assassinate Gul Dukat on Terok Nor in 2367. Nitrogen-based cleaning agents and fertilizers can be used in explosives, most notably in the Oklahoma City bombing.

Submitted by Steven Maguire and Alex Hoffmann

Triolic wave

Artificially generated by aliens. By-product of a little-used energy production method. Harmful to most life.

• TNG: "Times Arrow, Part I" - Cave walls subjected to triolic waves, eventually pointing to inhabitants of Planet Devidia II.

Trionium

Artificially generated by aliens. May be a chemical compound.

• TNG: "Imaginary Friend" - Trionium is found in the nebula FGC-47.

Triox

Artificially generated by crew. Concentrated oxygen compound.

• TOS: "Amok Time" - Dr. McCoy says he is going to give Kirk a shot of triox compound to make up for the low level of oxygen in Vulcan's atmosphere.

Trioxine

Artificially generated by crew. Emergency pharmaceutical used in case of respiratory problems. May be similar to or even the same as triox.

• VOY: "Year of Hell II" - Janeway prescribes herself trioxine after inhaling toxic vapors for 12 minutes.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Tripamine

Naturally occurring. Biological result of exposure to a temporal disturbance - indicated by elevated levels in the brain.

• TNG: "All Good Things" - Used by Dr. Crusher to determine whether Picard has actually left the Enterprise as he claims.

Tripolymer composites

Artificially generated by crew. Strong synthetic plastic compounds. Polymers is an actual collective term for organic compounds made of chain molecules or simpler, plastic.

• TNG: "The Most Toys" - 24.6 kilograms of Data's body is made up of tripolymer composites.
• TNG: "Disaster" - Tripolymer composites are not electrically conductive.

Submitted by Harry Doddema

Tripolymer plasma

Artificially generated by aliens. Ionized matter. Ionized plastic? Sounds a bit iffy, especially since the material in solid state was explicitly mentioned to be non-conductive.

• VOY: "Prototype" - Tripolymer plasma is used as a power source in the Automated Personnel Units by the Pralor.

Submitted by Harry Doddema

Triptacederin

Artificially generated by crew. Analgesic medication.

• DS9: "The Wire" - Garak uses triptacederin for his painful cranial implant.

Submitted by Harry Doddema

Tritanium

Origin unknown. Extremely hard substance used in construction of starship hulls. 21.4 times as hard as diamond.

• TOS: "Obsession" - Kirk, Spock, and a security team (most of which ends up dead) find a large deposit of tritanium. Spock phasers off a sample, since it is too hard to cut with tools.
• TNG: "The Arsenal of Freedom" - Found on Minos, a planet of former arms dealers throughout the galaxy, by Cmdr. Data and Lt. Yar as a heap of scrap metal amidst thick foliage on the ground.
• TNG: "A Matter of Time" - Rasmussen's time pod is made of plasticized tritanium mesh, which the Enterprise's sensors cannot penetrate.
• TNG: "Rascals" - La Forge and O'Brien determine that "something" caused the tritanium to crumble in their hands while they examined the wreckage of the shuttle from which Picard and fellow shuttlers emerged as children.

Update by Fidel Melgoza

Tritium

Naturally occurring. Mildly radioactive isotope, used in Klingon warp drives. A radioactive isotope of hydrogen with atoms of three times the mass of ordinary light hydrogen atoms. Tritium has a half-life of about 12.3 years, tritium likely fulfills the same function in warp cores as deuterium (both being isotopes of hydrogen), so there has to be also anti-tritium on Klingon vessels.

• DS9: "Q-Less" - Ionized tritium gas used by Dax and O'Brien to trace the origins of the graviton disturbances.
• DS9: "When It Rains" - The IKS Ki'tang's chief engineer modified the tritium-mixture in the warp core, therefore the ship can resist an attack by the Breen energy damping weapon.
• SNW: "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow" - Old diver's watches used tritium decay to light up a phosphor coating. As tritium is a byproduct of a cold fusion, La'an and Kirk repurpose such a watch as a tritium detector when they try to find the reactor.

Update by Alex Hoffmann

Tritonium

Origin unknown. Slightly radioactive material.

• DS9: "Indiscretion" - Used by Bajoran Resistance to track captured members.
• VOY: "Dragon's Teeth" - Used by Vaadwaur to strengthen their caves.

Submitted by Christian Pautsch

Tryoxene

Naturally occurring. A solid substance. May include oxygen?

• VOY: "Rise" - Tryoxene is a component of one of the asteroids sent towards the Nezu colony by the Etanian Order.

Submitted by Harry Doddema

 

U

Ultraviolet radiation

Naturally occurring or artificially generated by crew. Electromagnetic waves. Part of the electromagnetic spectrum between the visible colors and X-rays.

• TOS: "Operation - Annihilate!" - 210 ultraviolet satellites are launched from USS Enterprise NCC-1701 to eradicate neural parasites from Deneva.

Submitted by Harry Doddema

Ultritium

Origin unknown. Chemical explosive almost undetectable by transporter scanners.

• TNG: "Manhunt" - Used by the Antedian delegates in an attempted assassination of everyone at the Pacifica Conference of 2365.
• TNG: "The Enemy" - Used by Romulans aboard the ship Pi to self-destruct at Galorndon Core.
• DS9: "A Time to Stand" - Sisko and company use 90 kilograms of ultritium concealed in empty containers to destroy a vital Ketracel white depot deep in Cardassian space.

Uridium

Naturally occurring. Unstable mineral substance. The material is highly explosive when exposed to strong electric charges. It has to be cooled when it's processed. Presumably uridium ore is a naturally occurring substance on Bajor in the form of an ore, which used to be processed on Terok Nor to uridium.

• DS9: "Civil Defense" - Terok Nor processed raw uridium ore.
• DS9: "Indiscretion" - Cardassians use a uridium alloy in their sensor arrays.

Submitted by Harry Doddema and Alex Hoffmann

 

V

Vasokin

Artificially generated by crew. Experimental drug that increases blood flow to humanoid organs. Although in 22% of studied cases, it can cause severe damage to lungs, kidneys, heart and brain.

• DS9: "Life Support" - Vasokin used on Vedek Bareil.

Submitted by Harry Doddema

Vendarite

Naturally occurring. An extremely valuable element or mineral to the Ferengi. The name may be derived from Latin vendere = to sell.

• TNG: "Rascals" - Rogue Ferengi capture a science team and the USS Enterprise crew to use them as slave laborers to mine for vendarite.

Viridium

Artificially generated by crew. Can be detected at great distances, except through a magnetic shield.

• "Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country" - Spock places a viridium patch on Kirk's shoulder so the Enterprise can find them upon emergence from the magnetic shield.
• PIC: "Broken Pieces" - The tracker that Oh gives to Jurati when she hires her to infiltrate Picard's mission contains viridium.

Vertazine

Artificially generated by crew. Medicine.

• TNG: "Cause and Effect": Medicine used to combat vertigo.
• TNG: "Parallels": Medicine used to combat vertigo.

Verterium

Origin unknown. Apparently an element, used in perhaps different fashions in the warp coils.

• VOY: "Investigations" - The warp coils of Voyager are made of verterium cortenide.
• PIC: "Seventeen Seconds" - Verterium insulates the warp coils. The Changeling aboard the USS Titan-A sabotages the engine system so the ship leaks gaseous verterium and gives away its position. The gas is toxic, and prolonged exposure to it can be lethal.

Verterium cortenide

Artificially generated by crew. A compound used in warp coils. "Verterium cortenide" indicates that it is a compound composed of verterium and cortenum.

• VOY: "Investigations" - The warp coils of Voyager are made of this material.

Verteron

Naturally occurring or artificially generated by aliens. Subspace particle. Obviously somehow related to the element verterium.

• TNG: "Force of Nature" - A generator of these, disguised as a buoy, is used by environmentalists to incapacitate several ships, including the Enterprise.
• DS9: "Playing God" - Threatens to destroy the proto-universe.
• VOY: "Eye of the Needle" - Captain Janeway points out that there are "...verteron emanations, tunneling secondary particles. It certainly looks like a wormhole..."
• DS9: "In the Hands of the Prophets" - Keiko is explaining to her class at the beginning of the episode that this is what the Bajoran wormhole is made out of before Vedek Winn drops in to complain about the absence of "creationist" theory in the classroom.
• ENT: "Demons" & "Terra Prime" - Used in a verteron array on Mars to redirect comets; misused by Paxton to target Earth.

Vertion

Naturally occurring or artificially generated by crew. Subspace particle. This is not the same as a verteron.

• TNG: "Emergence": The emergent lifeform aboard the Enterprise-D require vertions.

Victurium

Origin unknown. A victurium alloy is a very dense metal alloy.

• TNG: "Hero Worship" - Large amounts of victurium alloy blocks the transporter.

Viterium

Artificially generated by aliens. Alloy used in starship construction, especially by the Dominion. It becomes instable when exposed to delta radiation.

• DS9: "Valiant" - The antimatter storage of the Dominion battleship contains viterium in its supporting structure. The Valiant crew tries to exploit this weakness by equipping a photon torpedo with a radiogenic warhead emitting delta rays.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Voraxna

Origin unknown. Poison that is lethal to Cardassians.

• DS9: "Ties of Blood and Water" - Gul Dukat tries to kill Legate Ghemor by poisoning a bottle of kanar with voraxna.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Vorillium

Naturally occurring. Raw material.

• VOY: "Favorite Son" - On Stardate 50698, a USS Voyager away mission procures an amount of vorillium from a Delta Quadrant planet. No clues as to what vorillium is good for.
• VOY: "Darkling" - Vorillium is used the USS Voyager's engines. Although this material is officially spelled vorilium, I assume they are both supposed to be the same thing.

Submitted by Harry Doddema

 

W

W-particle

Naturally occurring. W-particle interference is associated with gaps in normal space.

• TNG: "In Theory" - Data scans for W-particle interference to confirm the presence of gaps in normal space in the Mar Oscura nebula.

Submitted by Harry Doddema

Warp particle

Artificially generated by crew. Emitted by warp engines.

• VOY: "Parallax" - Evidence of the Voyager's path in the singularity.

Warp plasma

Artificially generated by crew. Residual plasma created by matter/antimatter reaction. Discharging a phaser or disruptor near warp plasma particles will cause them to ignite. Transporter beams can also destabilize warp plasma. See also plasma.

• VOY: "Fair Trade" - Tosin demands that Wixiban and Neelix provide him with three grams of warp plasma to improve their engine efficiency.

Submitted by Harry Doddema

Warp shell

Artificially generated by crew. A field generated by the Enterprise's engines to induce warp travel.

• TNG: "All Good Things" - Picard uses static warp shells to seal the temporal rifts in the three time instances.

Wormhole

Naturally occurring. A tunnel between two remote points in normal time and space. Most wormholes are extremely unstable and their end points fluctuate widely across time and space. An improperly balanced warp drive system can create an artificial wormhole that can pose a serious danger to the ship and its crew. Wormholes are a real-world scientific theory. They may be considered as two gravity wells by black holes that are connected to each other.

• "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" - The Enterprise artificially generates a wormhole due to a warp engine imbalance.
• TNG: "The Price" - The Barzan Wormhole appears to be stable, but its far end is moving through the Delta Quadrant.
• DS9: most episodes - The only known stable wormhole, leading to the Gamma Quadrant, is located in the Denorios Belt of the Bajoran star system, lending Deep Space 9 its strategic importance to the Federation.
• VOY: "False Profits" - An attempt to stabilize the far end of the Barzan Wormhole almost succeeds.
• VOY: "Eye of the Needle" - A micro-wormhole with a diameter of only few centimeters is found. It leads through space into the Alpha Quadrant and into the past.
• DIS: "The Red Angel" - The Red Angel suit generates a micro-wormhole that has to be stabilized with a membrane anchored in the original time and that ultimately pull back the Red Angel.
• DIS: "Such Sweet Sorrow II" - Michael Burnham opens a wormhole large enough for the Discovery to travel over 900 years into the future.
• PIC: "Et in Arcadia Ego II" - The Synths activate a beacon, which causes a wormhole to open near Coppelius, through which some sort of machine begins to emerge, until Soji shuts down the device.
• DIS: "Choose to Live" - Stamets hypothesizes that the dark matter anomaly (DMA) may be a primordial wormhole, which would require tachyons to be present.

 

X

X-rays

Artificially generated by crew. Form of radiation, which is not technically used any longer in medical imaging. Electromagnetic waves with wavelengths from about 10^-8m to about 10^-11m.

• VOY: "Tuvix" - X-rays were used in early medical imaging scanners in the late 21st century.

Submitted by Harry Doddema

 

Y

Yominium

Origin unknown. An element. Its existence is implied by "yominium sulfide".

• "Star Trek: The Voyage Home" - Spock recalls the chemical formula for yominium sulfide.

Yominium sulfide

Origin unknown. A chemical compound. The name is derived from "Nimoy" spelled backwards.

• "Star Trek: The Voyage Home" - Spock recalls the chemical formula for yominium sulfide K₄Ym₃(SO₇3Es₂) in a memory test during his re-education of Vulcan. The formula is inconsistent with that of a sulfide.

Yridium bicantizine

Artificially generated by aliens. Very rare but tremendously important component of Ketracel white, it is made of a trinucleic fungus. Was this actually supposed to be a compound of the real-world element iridium?

• DS9: "Statistic Probabilities" - The Dominion tries to get hold of a planet in the Kabrel system where trinucleic fungi occur.

Submitted by Alex Hoffmann

Yurium

Naturally occurring. May be used to create a powerful explosive, together with anicium.

• TNG: "Night Terrors" - Bela Tyken used his cargo of anicium and yurium to escape from the phenomenon later named after him, the Tyken Rift.
• DIS: "Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad" - Harry Mudd carries an explosive made of anicium and yurium to blow up the Discovery.

 

Z

Z-particle

Artificially generated by aliens. A particle. Can mess up sensor and/or visual records. Also a real type of particle. In real life: today's understanding puts particles into two basic categories, matter and exchange particles. Exchange particles are thrown kind of like frisbees between matter particles as the generators of the forces. Photons mediate the electromagnetic force, gluons mediate the strong force, the graviton is proposed (not observed) to mediate the gravitational force. The weak force is mediated by the W+, W-, and Z₀ particles.

• TNG: "Devil's Due" - Scientists on Ventax II station detect Z-particles coming from Ardra's ship.
• TNG: "Identity Crisis" - La Forge initiates a scan for Z-particle emissions in the video recording of the Tarchannen III mission.

Zenite

Naturally occurring. A raw mineral from which a potent compound is derived by the Federation for use in stopping botanical plagues.

• TOS: "Cloud Minders" - Zenite in its naturally found state causes temporary mental impairment when its dust is breathed. Such an effect had profound social implications in separating the Troglyte miners from the Stratos city dwellers, an issue which the crew of the Enterprise has to deal with.

 

Credits

This list was originally compiled and maintained by Steven Grimm at http://www.midwinter.com/~koreth/particles/ and has been heavily modified, corrected and updated for EAS.

 

The Mineralogy of Star Trek

 

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