Fictional Materials for OED

[Shapiro, Fred]

I have previously suggested that OED should have entries for "kryptonite" (Superman), the spice "melange" (Dune) and "ice-nine" (Cat's Cradle).  No one seemed particularly to agree with me, as I remember.

I am inspired to return to this topic by noticing that Wikipedia has an article, "List of Fictional Elements, Materials, Isotopes and Atomic Particles."  This list supplies me with some additional candidates:

adamantium (Wolverine)
carbonite (The Empire Strikes Back)
dilithium (Star Trek)

After its use in the film Avatar, "unobtanium" may also merit OED inclusion.

Fred Shapiro

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