Unstable molecules

Unstable molecules is a fictional piece of technology featured in Marvel Comics. They exist as a configuration of unknown atomic nuclei and electrons that are responsive to certain energized matter around them. Developed by Reed Richards (Mister Fantastic of the Fantastic Four), unstable molecules are typically utilized in fabrics for superhero or supervillain costumes, allowing the fabric to conform with the wearer's form and to not succumb to the wearer's powers. For example, as Mr. Fantastic stretches, his costume stretches with him instead of tearing. The same goes for his teammates: the Invisible Woman's costume goes invisible when she does, and the Human Torch's costume doesn't burn when he activates his powers.

The production of fabrics of unstable materials is extremely expensive. Mr. Fantastic has, on rare occasion, gifted a fellow superhero with a costume of the material. Unfortunately, it's too expensive to be released for commercial use. Mr. Fantastic encoded a copy protection into his unstable molecules. One attempt at unauthorized decoding the product resulted in a side effect that destroyed the building (and would have destroyed much more, but for the intervention of the Invisible Woman).

To a certain extent the phrase has become a source of humour regarding the pseudo scientific explanations that arose during the Silver Age of Comics.

-The name was also used in the name of Fantastic Four: Unstable Molecules, an Eisner Award-winning miniseries published by Marvel in 2004, and written by James Sturm with artwork by Guy Davis.

-Unstable molecules are also a common matierial in the Marvel 2099 line of comics, being that Miguel O'Hara, Spider-Man 2099, had a day of the dead costume made of such.