Post History
I would say yes. There's already a real-world element that does at least the first three and its name is uranium. Naturally occurring in the universe, rare though. Yep. In fact it's one of ...
Answer
#1: Post edited
by
Canina
·
2021-05-20T19:10:39Z (over 3 years ago)
<p>I would say yes. There's already a real-world element that does at least the first three and its name is <strong>uranium</strong>.</p><blockquote><p>Naturally occurring in the universe, rare though.</p></blockquote><p>Yep. In fact it's one of the heaviest naturally-occurring elements.</p><blockquote><p>Primary source of energy for ecosystems evolved to consume it.</p></blockquote><p>According to <a href="https://worldbuilding.stackexchange.com/a/28450/32016">this answer on another question</a>, there are indeed organisms that have evolved to use the radioactive decay of uranium as fuel.</p><blockquote><p>High potential energy output (Both within life evolved to consume it, and when harnessed by humans as a power source).</p></blockquote><p>Yep. The energy density of uranium is <em>ridiculously</em> high compared to stuff like coal, <a href="https://xkcd.com/1162/" rel="noreferrer">as this graph demonstrates</a> (courtesy of @Michael Kjörling in the comments).</p><blockquote><p>Capable of creating incredibly strong alloys.</p></blockquote><p>I don't know about incredibly <em>strong</em>, but I know that depleted uranium is incredibly <em>dense</em>.</p><p>Of course, if you're creating a fictional element, you can easily give it the first three properties, based on uranium, and then handwave #4 and #5 somehow.</p>
- <p>I would say yes. There's already a real-world element that does at least the first three and its name is <strong>uranium</strong>.</p>
- <blockquote>
- <p>Naturally occurring in the universe, rare though.</p>
- </blockquote>
- <p>Yep. In fact it's one of the heaviest naturally-occurring elements.</p>
- <blockquote>
- <p>Primary source of energy for ecosystems evolved to consume it.</p>
- </blockquote>
- <p>According to <a href="https://worldbuilding.stackexchange.com/a/28450/32016">this answer on another question</a>, there are indeed organisms that have evolved to use the radioactive decay of uranium as fuel.</p>
- <blockquote>
- <p>High potential energy output (Both within life evolved to consume it, and when harnessed by humans as a power source).</p>
- </blockquote>
- <p>Yep. The energy density of uranium is <em>ridiculously</em> high compared to stuff like coal, <a href="https://xkcd.com/1162/" rel="noreferrer">as this graph demonstrates</a>.</p>
- <blockquote>
- <p>Capable of creating incredibly strong alloys.</p>
- </blockquote>
- <p>I don't know about incredibly <em>strong</em>, but I know that depleted uranium is incredibly <em>dense</em>.</p>
- <p>Of course, if you're creating a fictional element, you can easily give it the first three properties, based on uranium, and then handwave #4 and #5 somehow.</p>