It has been suggested that Trilithium be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)

This article is about the fictitious substance. For other uses, see Dilithium (disambiguation).

Dilithium is well known as a fictional chemical element in the universe of Star Trek, although the name also applies to a real-world molecule. Image File history File links Please see the file description page for further information. ... Trilithium is a fictional material in the universe of Star Trek. ... The periodic table of the chemical elements (this version outdated on October 13, 2006) A chemical element, often called simply an element, is a substance that cannot be decomposed or transformed into other chemical substances by ordinary chemical processes. ... A fictional universe is a cohesive imaginary world that serves as the setting or backdrop for one or (more commonly) multiple works of fiction. ... The current Star Trek franchise logo Star Trek is an epic American science fiction franchise. ...

In Star Trek, dilithium typically occurs as a crystalline mineral. Streams of matter and antimatter directed into crystallized dilithium generate plasma that is used to power the warp drives that allow starships to travel faster than light. The specific details of this reaction were officially established in the Star Trek: The Next Generation series; in earlier works it is not clearly defined. Quartz crystal Copper(II) sulfate and iodine crystal Synthetic bismuth crystal Insulin crystals Gallium, a metal that easily forms large single crystals A huge monocrystal of potassium dihydrogen phosphate grown from solution by Saint-Gobain for the megajoule laser of CEA. In chemistry and mineralogy, a crystal is a solid... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... In particle physics, antimatter extends the concept of the antiparticle to matter, wherein if a particle and its antiparticle come into contact with each other, the two annihilate —that is, they may both be converted into other particles with equal energy in accordance with Einsteins equation E = mc2. ... For other uses, see Plasma. ... In the fictional universe of Star Trek, the warp drive is a form of faster-than-light (FTL) propulsion. ... The fictional starship Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) from Star Trek: The Next Generation. ... Faster-than-light (also superluminal or FTL) communications and travel are staples of the science fiction genre. ... The title as it appeared in most episodes opening credits. ...

Dilithium's chemical symbol is Dt, its atomic weight is 87 and it is a member of the hypersonic series of elements, according to an in-joke filled periodic table seen in episodes of The Next Generation^[1] and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.^[2] The dilithium crystal structure is 2(5)6 dilithium 2(:)l diallosilicate 1:9:1 heptoferranide, according to the Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual. Space station Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (ST:DS9 or STDS9 or DS9 for short) is a science fiction television series produced by Paramount and set in the Star Trek universe. ...

In the original series, dilithium crystals occurred only naturally, making the search for them a major plot element for a number of stories. In Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Spock discovers a method of re-crystallizing dilithium that allows the crew to regenerate the crystals on board their Klingon Bird-of-prey. This involves using 20th century fission reactors that generate high-energy photons that could cause the crystals to regenerate. Presumably this technique was not used earlier in the series because fission reactors had long been replaced by cleaner and more efficient technology. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (Paramount Pictures, 1986; see also 1986 in film) is the fourth feature film based on the popular Star Trek science fiction television series. ... For other uses, see Spock (disambiguation). ... This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. ... Bird-of-Prey is a common name for various makes of Romulan and Klingon warship in the Star Trek fictional universe. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999... For the generation of electrical power by fission, see Nuclear power plant An induced nuclear fission event. ... The word light is defined here as electromagnetic radiation of any wavelength; thus, X-rays, gamma rays, ultraviolet light, microwaves, radio waves, and visible light are all forms of light. ...

It is established that a large amount of dilithium can cause a planet to become geologically unstable, leading to a number of planets that had broken apart. The crew of the Enterprise-D found a method of eliminating the dilithium from such planets in order to save them. The USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) (or Enterprise-D, to distinguish it from prior starships with the same name) is a 24th century starship in the Star Trek fictional universe and the principal setting of the Star Trek: The Next Generation television series. ...

To avoid plots based on searches for dilithium crystals, the back-story of The Next Generation has dilithium synthesized artificially. These crystals can also be re-crystallized using technology that had been developed during the time between the original series movies and the events of The Next Generation. In narratology, a back-story (also back story or backstory) is the history behind the situation extant at the start of the main story. ... The starship Enterprise as it appeared on Star Trek Star Trek is a culturally significant science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry in the 1960s. ...

The props used in place of dilithium crystals appear to be rose quartz in some instances and calcite in others. Dilithium has been called "lithium" crystals in Mudd's Women, a Star Trek episode originally aired Oct. 13, 1966, an episode that displayed a prop crystal. An elephant carved in rose quartz, 4 inches (10 cm) long Rose quartz is a type of quartz which exhibits a pale pink to rose red hue. ... Doubly refracting Calcite from Iceberg claim, Dixon, New Mexico. ... Mudds Women is an episode of Star Trek: The Original Series first broadcast October 13, 1966 and repeated May 4, 1967. ... The starship Enterprise as it appeared on Star Trek Star Trek is a culturally significant science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry in the 1960s. ...

References

1. ^ "Rascals". Star Trek: The Next Generation.
2. ^ tableofelements.jpg (JPG). Spike's Star Trek page. Retrieved on 2006-10-30., accessible from T. Graphics, Okudagrams, Displays, Maps, and Labels. Spike's Star Trek page. Retrieved on 2006-10-30.

2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... October 30 is the 303rd day of the year (304th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 62 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... October 30 is the 303rd day of the year (304th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 62 days remaining. ...

External links

• Dilithium (Star Trek) article at Memory Alpha, a Star Trek wiki.
• "The Mineralogy of Star Trek" [1]