Ostentum

Ostentum is a fictional chemical element and metal that appears in a range of science-fiction works and world-building traditions. The name is derived from ostentation, reflecting its imagined beauty and prestige. In most depictions, ostentum is a superheavy metal with extraordinary density and a striking iridescent or luminescent surface when freshly prepared. Its exact properties vary by author, but common traits include a very high melting point, exceptional strength, and resistance to corrosion.

Ostentum is usually described as rare, either occurring in trace quantities in deep-space meteorites or produced in specialized reactors. Because it is not a real element, there is no verification by real-world chemistry; different universes assign different atomic numbers and electron configurations.

Chemically, ostentum is often portrayed as forming a variety of oxides and fluorides, with oxidation states that enable multi-valent chemistry. Some narratives credit ostentum with unusual catalytic activity or superconducting behavior under certain conditions, though such properties are speculative and inconsistent across works.

Historically, ostentum appears in speculative catalogs and world-building compendia rather than scientific literature. Its purported applications range from energy storage and propulsion to ornamental materials and currency, depending on the setting.

See also: fictional elements.