According to comic book lore, the fictional nation that would become Wakanda sprung forth from the site of a great meteorite impact. This alien object contained 10,000 tons of the mystical metal vibranium, which the soon-to-be Wakandans harvested and harnessed. They wove it into the very fabric of their society — and badass Black Panther suits. But if the signature property of vibranium is that it — according to the new film — absorbs kinetic energy, what would a meteorite containing ten million kilograms of the stuff do during a hypervelocity impact?
But before I give you my educated guess, Because Science has—right now!—its own channel on Facebook and Youtube, and its own presence on Instagram and Twitter. You can subscribe for a direct line to sciencey goodness.
I decided to head back into the vibranium mines this week because there are still many unanswered questions about how the metal would work if it were real. Counter-intuitively, if you were wearing a vibranium suit, even if it did absorb kinetic energy, a large impact would still send you flying. And you steps would be silent. These weird attributes make for a meteorite impact unlike the Earth has ever seen…
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Catch up on the latest Because Science!
- How does Black Panther’s vibranium suit work?
- What toxin is on Poison Ivy’s lips?
- Darth Vader vs Xenomorphs: Who wins?
