What is Spice?
Political power? Information? Energy? Sex? Money?
Oil.
>>87233099
In the series, the most essential and valuable commodity in the universe is melange, a drug that gives the user a longer life span, greater vitality, and heightened awareness; it can also unlock prescience in some humans, depending upon the dosage and the consumer's physiology.[2] This prescience-enhancing property makes safe and accurate interstellar travel possible.[2] Melange comes with a steep price, however: it is addictive, and withdrawal is fatal.[2][3]
Carol Hart analyzes the concept in the essay "Melange" in The Science of Dune (2008).[4][5][6] According to Paul Stamets, Herbert's creation of the drug was related in part to his own personal experiences with psilocybin mushrooms.[7]