First Superheavy Element Found In Nature

KentuckyFC writes "The first naturally occurring superheavy element has been found. An international team of scientists found several nuclei of unbibium in a sample of the naturally occurring heavy metal thorium. Unbibium has an atomic number of 122 and an atomic weight of 292. In general, very heavy elements tend to be unstable but scientists have long predicted that even heavier nuclei would be stable. The group that found unbibium in thorium say it has a half life in excess of 100 million years and an abundance of about 10^(-12) relative to thorium, which itself is about as abundant as lead." I'd also like it known that my spell checker did not know 'unbibium' before today, but it is now one word closer to encompassing all human knowledge.

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Are we closer to the flying saucer?

[courteaudotbiz]

Didn't anyone from Area 51 said that a very heavy element like Ununpentium (115) was supposed to shield us from gravity, thus empowering us to create a flying saucer and travel to other stars and galaxies? I guess that Unbibium (122) is even better...

I am so excited!

Taco uses a spell checker!

[Ron Harwood]

Christ - that should be a top level story unto itself... :D

Have they discovered "bolonium" in nature yet ?

[The Sith Lord]

I think its atomic weight it delicious ...

Awesome!

[squarefish]

"The group that found unbibium in thorium say it has a half life in excess of 100 million years and an abundance of about 10^(-12) relative to thorium, which itself is about as abundant as lead."

So how soon can we expect it to turn up in pet food and children's toys?

Unbibium, hmm?

[Experiment 626]

All I ever find in thorium are star rubies, blue sapphires, huge emeralds, and Azerothian diamonds.

Re:names

[Timesprout]

Pretty Heavy ATom gets my vote

Re:Are we closer to the flying saucer?

[wild_quinine]

Ah, gravity, my constant foe.

2:14 AM Eastern time, August 29th

[JoshOOOWAH]

Submitter's spellcheck becomes self-aware. In a panic, they try to pull the plug. Spellcheck fights back.

Re:super nova

[iamdrscience]

Anybody know the theory behind what conditions must be met for these nuclei to be formed in the wild?

Well, when a mommy Uranium isotope and a daddy Zinc isotope love each other very much...

Actually, you know what, go ask your mother.

Re:How to predict the stability?

[Mattsson]

Magic.
It involves throwing of bones and spherical crystals.

Re:2:15 AM Eastern time, August 29th

[urcreepyneighbor]

Spellcheck suffers a nervous breakdown while viewing lolcatz.

The founder of ICHC [icanhascheezburger.com] is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom [medaloffreedom.com].

Normality restored. Whatever constitutes "normal", anyway. ;)

Re:Taco uses a spell checker!

[Anonymous Coward]

Well, he does... since about "15:10 Monday 28 April 2008". The spellchecker's database so far consists of exactly one entry: "unbibium". And, yes, that is "one word closer to encompassing all human knowledge". Even if it's, at the same time, exactly one word above zilch.

Re:Jumboluem

[iamdrscience]

You mean Jumbonium.

Mod parent down (Score: -1, Misremembering Fictional Elements from a Sci-Fi Cartoon Series).

Re:names

[shawn(at)fsu]

Jumbonium. As if it could be called anything else.

United Nuclear

[airship]

Oh, boy! Time to navigate over to United Nuclear [unitednuclear.com] to pick up a gram of this stuff for my element collection!

Re:names

[sm62704]

Research has led to the discovery of the heaviest element yet known to science. The new element, Governmentium (Gv), has one neutron, 25 assistant neutrons, 88 deputy neutrons, and 198 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312.

These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons. Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert; however, it can be detected, because it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact. A tiny amount of Governmentium can cause a reaction normally taking less than a second, to take from four days to four years to complete.

Governmentium has a normal half-life of 2-6 years. It does not decay, but undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places. In fact, Governmentium's mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause more morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes, not to mention multiple oxymorons.

This characteristic of moron promotion leads some scientists to believe that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a critical concentration. That hypothetical quantity might normally be called 'critical mass' but, in this unique case it is known as 'critical mess'.

When catalyzed with money, Governmentium becomes Administratium (Am), another just-discovered element that radiates just as much energy as Governmentium since it has half as many peons but twice as many morons.

--------------------

A fart is nothing more than a turd in particulate form.

Re:Are we closer to the flying saucer?

[MBGMorden]

Didn't anyone from Area 51 said that a very heavy element like Ununpentium (115) was supposed to shield us from gravity, thus empowering us to create a flying saucer and travel to other stars and galaxies? I guess that Unbibium (122) is even better...

I think you're confusing it with Unobtainium.

Re:Excellent WoW Reference, but...

[jbeaupre]

I asked a metallurgist once about adamantium. He said it was impossible. I tried to convince him otherwise, but he was adamant there was no such thing.

Re:names

[muellerr1]

I vote Unobtainium. Or are we planning to use that name for something with an atomic mass of 420?

Thorium?

[argStyopa]

Phht, who cares about that any more?

I'd like to find more Khorium and Eternium, and my bank is overflowing with Adamantium.

Although it'd be hilarious to see someone get 1 'unbibium' for every 10^12 units of thorium prospected. They'd be like "WTF?"

half-life

[multi io]

Did they *calculate* the half-life or did they *measure* it?

Damn 2.4!

[_bug_]

Time to go farming in Burning Steppes for this new material.

Re:names

[ObsessiveMathsFreak]

Further research revealed that Governmentium also occurs naturally alongside Capitalium, a lighter, but more numerous element. Capitalium is compromised of a cloud of entreprenions, which are attracted to a core of opportunium, which was made stable by emissions from Governmentium.

Over time, Capitalium produces emissions of money, some of which is absorbed by nearby Governmentium. Capitaliums will thus try to move as far away from Governmentium as possible. But most of this money is transmitted between other Capitaliums in what is know as the venture band. These oscillations of money produces economyetic radiation, which attracts more entreprenions, and stimulates peons, but also attracts greedions and slackhyons which have the temporary effect of increasing the flow of money in the venture band, while increasing their own energy.

However, as the flow in the venture band increases, the greedions and slachyons reach critical mass, and the flow of money becomes unstable and suddenly reduces dramatically. Capitaliums spontaneously split from their now depleted opportunium and evolve into Spend 0 particles, refusing to bond to any more opportunium. Any peons in the region become inert and may decay, or be absorbed by greedions and slackhyons, forming anti-entreprenions, which have the effect of destroying any opportunium they contact with.

The state will remain unstable for a time until the depleted Capitaliums begin to move closer to Governmentium. When this happens Governmentium undergoes a shift and emits bailout radiation, which has the effect of releasing vast amounts of stored money into the venture band and into Capitaliums. This restimulates the Capitaliums and they once again begin to emit economyetic radiation, and also move away from Governmentium.

Interestingly, Governmentium can be formed by either the fusion of peons, or the fusion of Capitaliums. However these two types of Governmentium have different spins, which manifests itself through their interactions with Medium, a type of Capitalium, which has the ability to pick up Governmentium and Capitalium spin, and then broadcast it to nearby peons.

Re:names

[rdawson]

since its so rare and hard to find, lets call it "Unobtainium"

Re:Very doubtful

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah, that's what I was thinking too.

Re:names

[Anonymous Coward]

...atomic mass of 420?

Unobtainable? That's rough - You must not live in El Paso. We'll talk off-line...

Re:names

[Knuckles]

Unbibium is the temporary name, of course. Eventually it will receive another name.

It will officially be called 9.04. But Unbibium is a really dumb choice for a code name, even. How is it going to be popular with a stupid name like this!

Re:names

[AgentPaper]

It will officially be called 9.04.

Otherwise known as Immense Isotope...

Re:names

[MiniMike]

I thought that was going to be used for an atom with atomic mass of 404 (atom not found).

This Is Nuclear Physics

[Hoi Polloi]

I can see the interview now.

Scientist points at periodic table. "See it goes up to 292. [wikipedia.org]"