abstract
| - A form of artificially created matter with properties not found in normal matter. The nucleus of a newmatter atom is modified so that the protons and neutrons bind in new ways, which influences the energy levels of the electrons and can lead to very different chemistry and physical properties. After the First Sack, the Avout were forbidden from any further research into newmatter and the technology was restricted. It was not eliminated, however, and newmatter continues to be used in a variety of items ranging from tires with animated pictures to adaptive telescope mirrors. The three items allowed an Avout, the bolt, chord and sphere, are also made from New Matter. Some newmatter elements are very similar in behavior to standard matter, others are very different. For example, certain newmatter oxygen atoms are similar enough to still form water (H2O) but bind weakly with hemoglobin in red blood cells. Also, due to the extreme specificity of enzymes and proteins, many biological functions are incompatible with newmatter.
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