Element 118 Created, This Time for Real, Scientists Say

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

National Geographic News:

Element 118 Created, This Time for Real, Scientists Say

A team of Russian and American physicists says it has created three atoms of a new element.

The as-yet-unnamed element, element 118, is the heaviest yet discovered, with a nucleus consisting of 118 protons and 176 neutrons.

The heaviest naturally occurring element is uranium, which has 92 protons. Its most common form, or isotope, has 146 neutrons. Scientists have also artificially created most of the other elements between uranium and element 118. (Related: "Nuclear Tech Not a 'New Capability' for North Korea, Experts Say" [October 13, 2006.)

My only comments are:

1. Geeze, ya turn your eyes away from a Scientific topic for a few years, and look how far behind ya get.  The last element I remember reading about as being new was 105 or 106 or something, and they're up to One-hundred-and-Eighteen?

2. This should be taken as a FINE example of what cooperation will get you:  Notice it's Russian and American scientists.  Not that long ago, these scientists would have been on either side of a political "iron curtain".  Progress!

[Gloria The Camel]

1. Geeze, ya turn your eyes away from a Scientific topic for a few years, and look how far behind ya get.  The last element I remember reading about as being new was 105 or 106 or something, and they're up to One-hundred-and-Eighteen?

Heh yeah, I remember this year when I got my latest periodic table, there where 4 or 5 new elements from last year! Everyone was just "omg"ing!!

Wonder how long it will take until there are 200