In the Strategic Scientific Reserve lab in London, Howard Stark gestures to a fabric on a workbench, shaped like a shirt. \u201cCarbon polymer,\u201d he says. \u201cShould withstand your average German bayonet. Although Hydra\u2019s not going to attack you with a pocket knife.\u201d They pass Steve\u2019s battered shield on the table. \u201cI hear you\u2019re kind of attached.\u201d<\/p>\n
Steve nods. \u201cIt\u2019s handier than you might think.\u201d<\/p>\n
Howard points to an array of metal shields. \u201cI took the liberty of coming up with some options. This one\u2019s fun. She\u2019s been fitted with electrical relays that allow you to-\u201d<\/p>\n
Steve\u2019s eyes lock on a round shield. He lifts it, interrupting. \u201cWhat about this one?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, no, that\u2019s just a prototype,\u201d Howard says, waving it off.<\/p>\n
Steve examines it closely. \u201cWhat\u2019s it made of?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cVibranium,\u201d Howard replies. \u201cStronger than steel and a third the weight. It\u2019s completely vibration absorbent.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow come it\u2019s not standard issue?\u201d Steve asks.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the rarest metal on Earth,\u201d Howard explains. \u201cWhat you\u2019re holding there, that\u2019s all we\u2019ve got.\u201d<\/p>\n
Peggy Carter strides in from the far end of the room, her expression tight, still stung by Private Lorraine\u2019s flirtation. \u201cAre you quite finished, Mr. Stark?\u201d she says sharply. \u201cI\u2019m sure the Captain has some unfinished business.\u201d<\/p>\n
Steve, oblivious to her mood, holds up the round shield, grinning. \u201cWhat do you think?\u201d<\/p>\n
Peggy, unsmiling, grabs a pistol from a nearby table and fires four shots at Steve. The bullets ping off the shield, ricocheting harmlessly. With a falsely sweet tone, she says, \u201cYes, I think it works.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"TOPIC: Marvel Metals","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3501,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"episode_type":"audio","audio_file":"https:\/\/www.capminute.com\/cm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/cap079.mp3","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"https:\/\/www.capminute.com\/cm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/cap000-mp3-image-scaled.jpg","cover_image_id":"4116","duration":"30:03","filesize":"27.95M","filesize_raw":"29309433","date_recorded":"2026-06-15 00:00:00","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"79","itunes_title":"Minute 079: Vibranium","itunes_season_number":"1","itunes_episode_type":"full"},"tags":[],"series":[17],"class_list":["post-574","podcast","type-podcast","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","series-the-captain-america-minute-podcast"],"aioseo_notices":[],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/www.capminute.com\/cm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/cap079-scaled.jpg","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/www.capminute.com\/cm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/cap000-mp3-image-scaled.jpg","download_link":"https:\/\/www.capminute.com\/cm\/podcast-download\/574\/minute-079-vibranium.mp3","player_link":"https:\/\/www.capminute.com\/cm\/podcast-player\/574\/minute-079-vibranium.mp3","audio_player":"