Guest star Zelda Williams (Melissa Miller) is the daughter of Oscar-winning comedian Robin Williams, who named her after the titular princess in the "Legend of Zelda" video games, of which he had been a fan.
Palytoxin, the fatal substance produced by the coral family Zoantharia and found heavily in the species Palythoa toxica, has the dual distinction of being one of the most poisonous natural substances known and also the largest, most complex natural organic molecule known to exist. A single molecule of palytoxin is comprised of 49 hydrogen atoms, 54 oxygen atoms and three nitrogen atoms and has the following chemical formula: (aminomethyl)-3-hydroxyoxolan-2-yl]ethyl}-2,6-dioxabicyclo[3.2.1]octan-3-yl]-3,4-dihydroxypent-1-en-1-yl]-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]methyl}-2,8,9,10,17,18,19-heptahydroxy-14-methylidenehenicosa-3,5,12-trien-1-yl]-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]-2,3-dihydroxybutyl]-4,5-dihydroxyoxan-2-yl]-2,6,9,10-tetrahydroxy-3-methyldec-4-en-1-yl]-3,4,5,6-tetrahydroxyoxan-2-yl]-8-hydroxynonyl]-1,3-dimethyl-6,8-dioxabicyclo[3.2.1]octan-7-yl]methyl}-1,2,3,4,5-pentahydroxydodecyl]-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]-2,5,8,9-tetrahydroxy-N-[(1E)-2-[(3-hydroxypropyl)-C-hydroxycarbonimidoyl]eth-1-en-1-yl]-3,7-dimethyldec-6-enimidic acid.
It took biochemists nine years to decipher the structure of the molecule and 12 years to synthesize it.
It took biochemists nine years to decipher the structure of the molecule and 12 years to synthesize it.
The character name Bob Orci is likely a nod to writer/producer Roberto Orci, with whom Breen Frazier, the writer here, worked on the show Alias (2001).