thetron

Thetron is a fictional construct used in speculative physics and science fiction to denote a hypothetical fundamental particle or quasi-particle. It is not part of established physics and has no single universally accepted definition.

In many works, thetron is described as a neutral or weakly interacting boson with properties that allow it to carry energy or information between disparate quantum systems. Its mass is typically variable and can depend on the narrative, and its interaction cross-section with ordinary matter is usually small, enabling it to traverse large distances or dense environments with minimal attenuation.

Thetron is commonly employed as a plot device to explore themes of nonlocal communication, energy transduction, or exotic propulsion. In some settings, thetron can be produced in high-energy experiments or cosmic processes and detected only indirectly through its effects on systems it connects.

The term has appeared in a variety of franchises, role-playing games, and academic-style speculative essays, sometimes with different operational rules or theoretical justifications. Because it is not a measured, reproducible entity in the real world, its properties are defined by the needs of the narrative or the hypothetical framework.

See also: tachyon, graviton, exotic matter.