Black Panther's Secret Weapon Explained
Vibranium, the metal in the movie, doesn't exist in real life, but this substance might be the closest we can get.
This weekend, the Black Panther movie is taking the box office by storm.
The movie follows a character named T'Challa who, after the death of his father, returns home to a fictional world called Wakanda.
While the setting is imaginary, the comics' creators placed the scene in East Africa. Elements of the region's cultures, languages, and environment can be seen in the movie. (Learn more about black panther cats.)
In the Marvel Universe, Wakanda is mineral rich thanks to a substance called vibranium deposited on Earth 10,000 years ago by a meteorite. Think oil in the Middle East or lithium in Chile.
However, vibranium stands out for having unique properties.
The movie describes the metal as being capable of absorbing waves and other vibrations.
