New isotope of seaborgium identified at German particle accelerator
In a groundbreaking development in the field of nuclear physics, researchers at the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung (GSI/FAIR) accelerator in Darmstadt, Germany, have successfully synthesised a new isotope of seaborgium - seaborgium-257. This discovery was announced in various articles recently, shedding light on the properties of superheavy nuclei and offering insights into the hunt for new elements.
The new isotope, seaborgium-257, is situated just next to the enhanced neutron shell gap at 152, and has a half-life of 12.6 milliseconds. The study on seaborgium-257 was led by Pavol Mosat from GSI/FAIR. The researchers produced the isotope by colliding a beam of chromium-52 with a thin layer of lead-206.
Interestingly, the articles do not provide specific details about the discovery or properties of element 120, which is currently the subject of ongoing research. However, the study on seaborgium-257 offers valuable insights into the impact of shell effects on the fission properties of superheavy nuclei, which could potentially aid in the search for new elements.
Seaborgium, element 106, was first discovered in 1974 by two teams - a Russian team and a US one. The US team's experimental evidence was deemed stronger, and they named the new element seaborgium, after the team's leader Glenn Seaborg. As of now, the total number of known isotopes of seaborgium stands at 22.
The Berkeley Lab will lead the US hunt for element 120 following a breakdown of collaboration with Russia. In a related development, an article by Anna Demming in 2025 reported this shift, highlighting the importance of the US's continued exploration in this field.
In a separate article, "An affinity for astatine" written by Philip Ball in 2020, the author discusses the fascination with astatine, another superheavy element, and its role in the search for new elements. More recently, Kit Chapman wrote an opinion piece, "Opinion: An affinity for astatine" in 2023, further exploring the allure of these mysterious elements and the ongoing quest to understand them better.
Regrettably, there are no available search results reporting a successful recent attempt by an international team including German researchers to synthesize Selenium-256, another superheavy element. The hunt for element 120 continues, with the field of nuclear physics eagerly awaiting the next big discovery.
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