In a case of life imitating art, scientists appear to have discovered a new mineral that matches the chemical composition used to describe kryptonite. When researchers from the mining group Rio Tinto failed to identify the mineral, mineralogist Dr. Chris Stanley was brought in, and subsequently discovered the connection between it and Superman’s weakness:

“Towards the end of my research I searched the web using the mineral’s chemical formula – sodium lithium boron silicate hydroxide – and was amazed to discover that same scientific name, written on a case of rock containing kryptonite stolen by Lex Luthor from a museum in the film Superman Returns.

“The new mineral does not contain fluorine (which it does in the film) and is white rather than green but, in all other respects, the chemistry matches that for the rock containing kryptonite.”

Unfortunately, the newly discovered mineral can’t be called “kryptonite” since it has nothing to do with the pre-existing element on the Periodic Table, krypton. Instead, it will formally be known as “Jadarite”, deriving its name from Jadar, the city where the mine it was discovered is located.