Thalaron radiation

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Thalaron radiation is a type of deadly radiation in the fictional Star Trek Universe. Its lethality is such that a microsopic amount can kill everyone on board a starship. It turns all organic matter into an extremely unstable and rocklike substance on contact that is also noticeably brittle, as demonstrated in the beginning of the film Star Trek: Nemesis,

Thalaron radiation was the key weapon aboard the Reman Warbird, known as the Scimitar, which was intended to eliminate the population of Earth. However, it is apparently extremely volatile, as a simple phaser shot into its generator on the Scimitar was enough to detonate it, completely destroying the Scimitar. The Thalaron radiation requires a considerable period of time to reach critical mass, which is relative to the amount of radiation that is wished to be released. The radiation is extremely dangerous and will destroy all organic matter in its path, and possibly within a given radius as well.

The extreme hazards posed by thalaron research have led the Federation to ban its use and transportation. Its only known useful purpose is as a weapon, and as such detecting it aboard a ship is almost certainly a sign of ill intentions.

No information exists to date of the structural makeup or origin of thalaron radiation.