Tin bent, a crackling sound known as the "tin cry" can be heard from the twinning of the crystals. Tin melts at low temperatures of about , the lowest in group 14. The melting point is further lowered to for 11 nm particles. β-tin (the metallic form, or white tin, BCT structure), which is stable at and above room temperature, is malleable. In contrast, α-tin (nonmetallic form, or gray tin), which is stable below , is brittle. α-tin has a diamond cubic crystal structure, similar to diamond, silicon or germanium. α-tin has no metallic properties at all because its atoms form
Baltimore, or, The Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire tend their wounds and drink. Baltimore explains bitterly that his fight is not over, that it will never be over, and that he understands what he has been made into. Then Baltimore reaches into his chest and pulls out his heart, which has become a lump of tin with his wife's wedding ring set in its side. Mike Mignola came up with the concept for "Baltimore, or, The Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire" and conceived much of the plot, though Christopher Golden penned the novel based on their joint efforts. In 2010 Dark Horse Comics began a comic book