Element zero
The foundation of mass effect technology
Element zero, nicknamed eezo, was a rare material that released dark energy when subjected to an electrical current, letting it raise or lower the mass of everything in the resulting field. It underpinned faster-than-light travel, artificial gravity, and the biotic abilities of living beings.
Element zero, commonly known as eezo, was a rare material that, when subjected to an electrical current, released dark energy that could be shaped into a mass effect field, raising or lowering the mass of every object within that field. This single property formed the basis of nearly all advanced technology in the galaxy, from artificial gravity and high-strength construction to the faster-than-light drives that let starships cross the mass relay network. It also lay at the root of biotics, the capacity of some living beings to manipulate mass effect fields with their own bodies. (Mass Effect)
Properties and formation#
When a current passed through element zero, it released dark energy that could be manipulated into a mass effect field. A positive current increased the mass of objects within the field, while a negative current decreased it. This mass effect was put to countless uses, from generating artificial gravity aboard stations and starships to manufacturing high-strength construction materials. Its most prominent application was enabling faster-than-light travel without the time dilation that would otherwise plague such speeds. (Mass Effect)
Eezo was generated when solid matter, such as a planet, was caught in the energy of a star going supernova. As a result it was most common in the asteroid debris orbiting neutron stars and pulsars. These were perilous places to mine, demanding extensive robotics, telepresence, and shielding to endure the intense radiation of the dead star, so only a few major corporations could afford the setup costs of working these primary sources. Some planets held small eezo deposits or had coalesced around a larger one during their formation; these secondary sources were safer to mine but yielded far less. The Nemean Abyss was noted for being rich in it. (Mass Effect; Mass Effect 2)
Element zero and biotics#
Dust-form element zero, frequently released after engine accidents, was toxic to organic life. It was also used by many species to induce or strengthen biotics. When a child was exposed to dust-form eezo in the womb, the material's mutagenic effects gave a small chance that they would develop eezo nodules throughout their nervous system, reacting to electrical stimuli from the brain. Such individuals could wield biotic abilities, but many exposures produced no effect at all, and others resulted in terminal cancer. After the link between eezo and biotics was established, questions lingered over just how accidental some of those early exposures had truly been. (Mass Effect)
Discovery and use by the galaxy#
When humanity discovered the Prothean ruins on Mars, it found refined element zero the Protheans had left behind, which enabled research into faster-than-light ship drives even before the Charon Relay was discovered. Element zero went on to form the basis of many advanced medicines throughout Citadel space. The biotic drug red sand was said to use eezo as its base, and according to urban legend it was created by criminal triads on Mars from the eezo samples recovered there. The cost of eezo could be staggering: the massive Tantalus drive core of the Normandy cost 120 billion credits, owing to the sheer quantity of element zero required to power its stealth system. (Mass Effect)
Frequently asked questions
- What is element zero in Mass Effect?
- Element zero, commonly known as eezo, was a rare material that released dark energy when subjected to an electrical current. That dark energy could be shaped into a mass effect field, raising or lowering the mass of every object within the field.
- How does element zero work?
- When a current passed through element zero it released dark energy that could be manipulated into a mass effect field. A positive current increased the mass of objects within the field, while a negative current decreased it, a property used for everything from artificial gravity to faster-than-light travel without time dilation.
- Where does element zero come from?
- Eezo was generated when solid matter, such as a planet, was caught in the energy of a star going supernova. It was most common in the asteroid debris orbiting neutron stars and pulsars, which were perilous places to mine because of the intense radiation of the dead star.
- How does element zero create biotics?
- When a child was exposed to dust-form eezo in the womb, the material's mutagenic effects gave a small chance that they would develop eezo nodules throughout their nervous system, reacting to electrical stimuli from the brain. Such individuals could wield biotic abilities, but many exposures produced no effect, and others resulted in terminal cancer.
- Why was element zero so expensive?
- Rich deposits formed mainly in the radiation-soaked debris around neutron stars and pulsars, so only a few major corporations could afford to mine them. The Normandy's Tantalus drive core alone cost 120 billion credits because of the eezo its stealth system needed.
Sources
- GameMass Effect, BioWare, 2007
- GameMass Effect 2, BioWare, 2010
Spotted a factual error or a primary source we missed? Email a correction. Every flagged claim gets reviewed.
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