A mineral found by geologists in Serbia shares virtually the same chemical composition as the fictional kryptonite from outer space, used by the superhero’s nemesis Lex Luther to weaken him in the film “Superman Returns”.
“We will have to be careful with it — we wouldn’t want to deprive Earth of its most famous superhero!,” said Dr Chris Stanley, a mineralogist at London’s Natural History Museum.

Stanley, who revealed the identity of the mysterious new mineral, discovered the match after searching the Internet for its chemical formula – sodium lithium boron silicate hydroxide.

“I 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,” he said.

The substance has been confirmed as a new mineral after tests by scientists at the Natural History Museum in London and the National Research Council in Canada.

But instead of the large green crystals in Superman comics, the real thing is a white, powdery substance which contains no fluorine and is non-radioactive.

From Wikipedia

Jadarite is a white, powdery, non-radioactive monoclinic mineral whose chemical formula is sodium lithium boron silicate hydroxide: LiNaSiB3O7(OH) or Na2OLi2O(SiO2)2(B2O3)3H2O. It was discovered in November 2006, in drill holes in the Jadar Valley in Serbia, from which it is named. It was confirmed as a new mineral after scientists at the Natural History Museum in London and the National Research Council of Canada conducted tests on it. Exploration geologists from Rio Tinto Exploration discovered the mineral as small rounded nodules in drill core, and after being unable to match it with previously known minerals enlisted the expertise of Dr. Chris Stanley, from the Natural History Museum, who later described it as being unique to mineralogy.
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Jadarite’s chemical formula is very close to the formula invented for the fictional substance kryptonite in the 2006 film Superman Returns. This coincidence attracted mass-media attention, and jadarite was covered by ABC, BBC, CNN, Washington Post, and Yahoo, among others.

The new mineral, unlike the fictional material in the movie, does not contain fluorine, does not emit electromagnetic radiation, and is white rather than green (although, in the Superman comics, there is a white colored variety of kryptonite). In all other respects the chemistry matches that of the rock containing kryptonite in the movie. The jadarite fluoresces a pinkish-orange color when exposed to UV light.

According to Dr. Stanley, jadarite would have some commercial value if sufficient deposits of it are found. Jadarite contains boron and lithium, two relatively rare elements with many uses. Processed radioactive waste is encapsuled by borosilicate glass, while lithium is used in the manufacture of lithium-ion batteries.

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jadarite
• http://www.mindat.org/min-31570.html

Implementation of the first Sea Water Air Conditioning system (SWAC) at the Inter-Continental Bora Bora Resort ; Thalasso Spa. A system that eliminates the use of potentially hazardous compounds that deplete the ozone layer (H.C.F.C.s) and designed to save up to 90 % of the hotel’s electricity consumption for air conditioning or 2.5 million liters of fuel oil each year. All in all a saving of half a million dollars for a 80 units resort.

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The slightly crazy idea of running the hotel’s air-conditioning system on water
extracted from the depths of the sea was mentioned to Richard Bailey, the majority shareholder in the Inter-Continental Resort and Thalasso Spa Bora Bora, by a certain Marlon Brando. He owned the neighboring atoll of Tetiaroa, which he fell in love with in 1965 when filming “Mutiny on the Bounty”. A fervent defender of the environment, the legendary actor had been following with great interest the first practical applications of this new technique in buildings in Hawaii.

Watch Video here…

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTGvPrrkVAA

The hurricane made landfall on southwestern Florida at peak intensity, the strongest hurricane to hit the United States since Hurricane Andrew twelve years prior.    After moving briskly through the Caribbean Sea, Charley crossed Cuba as a Category 3 hurricane, causing heavy damage and 4 deaths. On August 13, the hurricane crossed over the Dry Tortugas, just 22 hours after Tropical Storm Bonnie struck northwestern Florida. This was the first time in history that two tropical cyclones struck the same state in a 24 hour time period. Charley was one of two major hurricanes to hit Florida in 2004 and one of four hurricanes to directly affect the state.    At its peak intensity of 150 mph (240 km/h) Hurricane Charley struck the northern tip of Captiva Island and the southern tip of North Captiva Island, causing severe damage. The strongest hurricane to hit the area since Hurricane Donna in 1960, Charley continued to produce severe damage as it made landfall near Port Charlotte.

The hurricane continued to the northeast, and passed through East Orlando while retaining wind gusts of up to 106 mph. Damage in the state totaled to over $13 billion (2004 USD). Charley, initially expected to hit further north in Tampa, caught many Floridians off-guard from a sudden change of track to the northeast. Throughout the United States, Charley caused 10 casualties and $15 billion in damage (2004), making Charley the third costliest hurricane in United States history.    After moving briskly through the Caribbean Sea, Charley crossed Cuba as a Category 3 hurricane, causing heavy damage and 4 deaths. On August 13, the hurricane crossed over the Dry Tortugas, just 22 hours after Tropical Storm Bonnie struck northwestern Florida. This was the first time in history that two tropical cyclones struck the same state in a 24 hour time period. Charley was one of two major hurricanes to hit Florida in 2004 and one of four hurricanes to directly affect the state.

At its peak intensity of 150 mph (240 km/h) Hurricane Charley struck the northern tip of Captiva Island and the southern tip of North Captiva Island, causing severe damage. The strongest hurricane to hit the area since Hurricane Donna in 1960, Charley continued to produce severe damage as it made landfall near Port Charlotte. The hurricane continued to the northeast, and passed through East Orlando while retaining wind gusts of up to 106 mph. Damage in the state totaled to over $13 billion (2004 USD). Charley, initially expected to hit further north in Tampa, caught many Floridians off-guard from a sudden change of track to the northeast. Throughout the United States, Charley caused 10 casualties and $15 billion in damage (2004), making Charley the third costliest hurricane in United States history.