Reglulegum

Reglulegum is a fictional polymer introduced in speculative literature and worldbuilding exercises to illustrate materials with programmable, gum-like properties. It is not known as a real substance in science, and references to reglulegum vary by author and context.

Etymology of the term reglulegum blends cues from regulation or rule with gum, signaling a material whose behavior can be guided or constrained. Because it is not a defined chemical, its specific composition and mechanisms are deliberately underspecified in most usages, allowing different creators to imagine different rule-based responses.

Characteristics commonly ascribed to reglulegum include viscoelasticity and programmable responsiveness. In descriptions, it can function as a soft gel under low stimulus but stiffen or solidify when triggered by heat, an electric field, or chemical signals. Some depictions incorporate self-healing after damage, reversible phase transitions, and spatial gradients of stiffness along a given specimen or device.

Context and usage in discussions range from illustrating concepts in adaptive materials to exploring governance-inspired models of material behavior. Reglulegum serves as a narrative or pedagogical device for examining how external rules, signals, or controls can shape mechanical properties and system dynamics.

Limitations and reception: as a fictional construct, reglulegum’s properties are not reproducible in real experiments. It is primarily used for teaching ideas about viscoelasticity, memory effects, and the notion that material behavior can be governed by programmable rules within a system. See also viscoelasticity, smart materials, and materials in thought experiments.