Real-Life Lore of Elements

[ddevans96]

Many things in Elements are based off of things in real life, from historical events to science theories. For a long time I've wanted to make a list of these and put them somewhere where people asking 'Who is this Schrodinger?' or the like might have a place to learn some connections to Elements.

I'm not very good at writing little non-fiction synopsis, and most of these will be done little by little through the internet, so post here if there's things you think should be changed, added, or removed. I'll try to add one or two new things a day for a while.

Electrum
In-game: Non-card - Currency || Also applies to Electrum Hourglass
In real-life: Electrum is an alloy of gold and silver, often with traces of platinum, copper and other metals, that is found naturally or made artificially. In Ancient Greece, it was considered white gold, despite being a pale yellow, as opposed to refined gold. It was also used in other parts of the Eastern Mediterranean, from currency to pyramids. It was considered harder, more durable, and easier to refine than pure gold or silver.

Quantum
In-game: Non-card - Resource || Also applies to Quantum Pillar
In real-life: Quantum, in physics, refers to the minimum amount of any physical entity involved in an interaction, while quanta refers to a multiplication of this amount. Beyond this is a fundamental notion that a physical property, such as the energy transfer of basic particles or matter, can be quantized, meaning that it's magnitude can only take discrete numbers. A quantum can be viewed a discrete packet storing energy inside it.

Maxwell's Demon
In-game: Card - Creature
In real-life: Maxwell's demon is a thought experiment created by Scottish physicist James Clerk Maxwell in 1867. It demonstrates a hypothetical possibility of a violation of the Second Law of Thermodynamics. A container is divided into two by an insulated wall that can be opened and closed by said demon, so that all the hot molecules flow to one side, causing the other to cool down, therefore decreasing entropy and creating a paradox of sorts.

Schrödinger's Cat
In-game: Card - Creature
In real-life: Schrödinger's cat is a thought experiment developed by Austrian physicist Erwin Schrödinger in 1935. The theory is that a cat is placed in a closed box with a vial of poison, radioactive source, and Geiger counter. When the counter detects the radiation, the poison is released and it kills, or doesn't kill, the cat. One interpretation of quantum superposition suggests that because you cannot see inside the box, the cat is both dead and alive; however, upon opening the box, it is revealed the cat is either dead and alive.

Spoiler for To-do list - Incomplete:

Crusader
Butterfly Effect
Nova/Supernova
Singularity
Seraph
Graboid/Shrieker
Seraph
Black Hole
Fractal
Momentum
Otyugh
Entropy
Aether

[Absol]

Posting to track this.
Also, i will help when i get back to my computer.

[TheCrazyMango]

Reservation/keeping track of post.

[furballdn]

Very interesting. Although, is it just my imagination or did we have some similar thread like this in the old forums?

[ddevans96]

Probably just your imagination.

[ZephyrPhantom]

Very interesting. Although, is it just my imagination or did we have some similar thread like this in the old forums?

Perhaps you mean this? (It's focus is fantasy lore, though, not real life lore.)

[artimies7]

Amber was called electrum once by some groups.

[Drake_XIV]

A couple easy ones...

  Aflatoxin
In-game: Card - Spell
In real-life: Aflatoxin are a form of mycotoxin, meaning that they can be found in various fungus.  Derived from the Latin Aspergillus Flavus Toxins, it is obviously toxic and life-threatening, with its carcinogenic nature making those afflicted with it prone to developing cancer, primarily that of the liver.  Fortunately, most contact with aflatoxins is minimal and the human body has the opportunity to metaphorically "wall" its progress, as when it is moved to the liver, it can become a less harmful variant after some chemical reactions.

  Malignant Cell
In-game: Card - Creature
In real-life: Malignancy is more commonly used to describe rogue cells in a body that has been diagnosed with a form of cancer, although it is also used to describe other rapidly spreading diseases.  That being said, malignant cells, as opposed to those found in stable, benign tumours, are known for their constant multiplication and overwhelming their host.  This is why cancer is such a problematic condition, as the cells are not only rapidly duplicating, but they consume as much as a relative healthy cell and mingle amongst them so they are pain to remove.

[furballdn]

Very interesting. Although, is it just my imagination or did we have some similar thread like this in the old forums?

Perhaps you mean this? (It's focus is fantasy lore, though, not real life lore.)

mmmmno. It was like a thread on the "science" of elements, describing terms like maxwell, schrodinger, acceleration, and all that.

[YawnChainHow]

Here's a relevant post in a relevant thread. There may have been a shorter, more detailed one but I can't find it or my memory is glitching up.

[Annele]

Blackhole - Matter that is compacted into such a small space it has enormous gravitational pull it sucks in everything, even light.

Seraph - A 6-winged being that flies around God's throne.

Crusader - Well, all you need to do is watch this. 

[ddevans96]

A couple easy ones...

...

While I appreciate the thought, the point of this is not only to be a reference, but more of a personal project that I wanted to enjoy, and that makes it less enjoyable. Please avoid handing me a whole synopsis like that, because there only needs to be one, and I'd get to it myself.