Why do scientific things usually have an "X" in them?

[The Burgomaster]

Did you ever notice (especially in movies, TV shows, etc., from the 1950s and 60s) that scientific things usually have an "X" in them?  For instance:

"Oh, my God!  He's been exposed to Radium-X!"

"This is our newest X-15 rocket!"

"That thing must be from Planet X!"

So, what is this infatuation with the letter X??????

[BeyondTheGrave]

i always thought that "X" meant mysterious, unknown or experimental. examples would be codenames like MR. X. since science cant figure it put a "X"  and thier you go.

"Dont be a fool for ur tool"

[ulthar]

X is the most common unknown used in mathematical equations, so it psychologically represents 'unknown.'  Just a SWAG.

Oh yeah, it sounds cool.

Q-15 rocket just does not sound as sleek and powerful.

Planet  J?  Nothing ominous about that.

Or, maybe I have just been ingrained with the 'X-ification' of sci fi speak for long ......

[trekgeezer]

I guess X-rays are still mysterious. That's scary!

[BeyondTheGrave]

ulthar wrote:

>
> Oh yeah, it sounds cool.
>
> Q-15 rocket just does not sound as sleek and powerful.
>
> Planet  J?  Nothing ominous about that.
>
> Or, maybe I have just been ingrained with the 'X-ification' of
> sci fi speak for long ......
>

yeah i couldnt imagine the X-Files being called something else like the K- Files

"Dont be a fool for ur tool"

[daveblackeye15]

The X from Outer Space is The Unknown from Outer Space. Or it could stand for extra terrestrial,.The Extra Terrestrial from Space, no wait a minute...

[AndyC]

Hmmm, the Q-15 rocket sounds like it could be a potent antioxidant. Or is that the Q-10?   :)

[Susan]

>>i always thought that "X" meant mysterious, unknown or experimental<<

X-rated isn't all that mysterious. Experimental...maybe

[Max Gardner]

Because X represents an unknown quantity, and science is in the business of making unknown quantities known.  When things unknown are used before they're understood, it's generally a bad thing insofar as b-movies are concerned, hence the omnipresence of the letter X.  And people think it looks cooler than every other letter in the alphabet for some reason.  Except maybe Z.

[MeAndMyMeatCleaver]

Because it just sounds cool... period.

[Gerry]

In the case of THE QUATERMASS XPERIMENT, the unusual spelling of "X"periment came about when the British Board of Censors decided to slap the movie with an "X" rating (which was of course a much milder X than what we think of today).  It was also followed by the similar X THE UNKNOWN.

[The Ghoul]

It's still used...example The X-Files!

[Dunners]

"X" is in yo.

[dean]

I remember watching an episode of Stargate SG1 where some guy started a TV show based on the Stargate program, and they called it like 'Star Force X' or something, and the guy just mentioned that producers added the X because 'tests' found that audiences respond better to Sci Fi shows if they have X in them.

But it does sound corny to me, when used in TV or Film [Notable exception, American History X]

[JohnL]

>I remember watching an episode of Stargate SG1 where some guy started a TV
>show based on the Stargate program, and they called it like 'Star Force X' or
>something,

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