Scientists have created a new compound inspired by Sheldon Cooper’s catchphrase “Bazinga” in the popular TV series, The Big Bang Theory.
The compound BaZnGa is made of barium (Ba), zinc (Zn) and gallium (Ga) and forms a new, never-before-seen crystal structure.
The compound behaves like other non-magnetic quasicrystals but has a different arrangement of atoms.
Its creation is part of the scientists’ efforts to discover new materials and characterise them, said Paul Canfield, a professor at Iowa State University in the US.
The idea to create BaZnGa came when researchers saw a TV commercial for The Big Bang Theory, which showed the word “Bazinga” as elements barium, zinc and gallium, Live Science reported.
The ad prompted the researchers, who were already planning to study three-part compounds that contained barium and zinc, create BaZnGa.
“Whenever you find a new structure, it gives you further information on how nature arranges atoms,” Canfield said.