A mysterious substance found in a mine in Serbia has been identified by scientists as kryptonite.

Mining researchers discovered the unusual mineral and enlisted the help of Dr Chris Stanley, a mineralogist at London's Natural History Museum, to identify it. Once Dr Stanley had unravelled the mineral's chemical make-up, he was shocked to discover this formula was already referenced in fiction.

The new mineral matched the chemistry of kryptonite as described in the film Superman Returns, reports the BBC.  Dr Chris Stanley said: "I'm afraid it's not green and it doesn't glow either - although it will react to ultraviolet light by fluorescing a pinkish-orange.

"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 Luther from a museum in the film Superman Returns.

"The new mineral does not contain fluorine and is white rather than green but, in all other respects, the chemistry matches that for the rock containing kryptonite."

So it has has some of the same materials and it's a different colour. Bugger me. my car's a helicopter then!

Comments below please


Despite everything the rock did have some effect on Superman.