How Scientists Are Forging New Elements
For centuries, alchemists dreamed of transforming one element into another. Today, in high-tech labs, that dream is a reality. Scientists are creating new, superheavy elements that don't exist naturally on Earth, pushing the very limits of the periodic table.
The periodic table is the cornerstone of chemistry, a map of all known matter. But its frontiers are not fixed. Elements heavier than Uranium (element 92) are too unstable to exist for long and must be forged in particle accelerators. Creating them is a monumental challenge; confirming their identity is another battle entirely.
This process of creation and validation, often unfolding in specialized journals, is the engine of modern nuclear chemistry.
Heaviest naturally occurring element
Discovered in 1789
Synthetic superheavy element
Discovered in 2010
When scientists claim the discovery of a new element, the evidence must be ironclad. The gold standard is observing the new element's unique "decay chain." Superheavy elements are radioactive and decay into lighter elements in a specific, predictable sequence—a nuclear fingerprint.
Scientists smash a lighter "beam" nucleus into a heavier "target" nucleus. With enough energy, they can fuse, creating a new, heavier atom.
The newly formed superheavy nucleus is unstable. It sheds particles and energy to become more stable, transforming into different elements.
This sequence of transformations is the element's signature. By tracking this chain to known isotopes, scientists can prove the identity of the original atom.
The 2009-2010 experiment to create Element 117, later named Tennessine (Ts), is a prime example of a monumental effort in modern alchemy. The subsequent critique and reply highlight the rigorous scrutiny these claims undergo.
The methodology was a tour de force of precision and patience.
A thin, radioactive film of Berkelium-249 (²⁴⁹Bk) was produced at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the U.S.—a rare and crucial material.
A high-energy beam of Calcium-48 (⁴⁸Ca) ions was accelerated in a particle accelerator at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna, Russia.
The ⁴⁸Ca beam was fired at the ²⁴⁹Bk target. In a tiny fraction of collisions, the two nuclei fused, creating a handful of atoms of the new element: Tennessine (²⁹³Ts and ²⁹⁴Ts).
The newly formed atoms were physically separated from the other reaction debris and transported to a specialized detector.
The team then carefully recorded the subsequent radioactive decay to establish the decay chain.
The scientific importance lay in the observed decay chains. The atoms of ²⁹⁴Ts decayed in a specific sequence, alpha particle by alpha particle, eventually reaching a known isotope, Dubnium-262. This provided a clear, traceable line of evidence back to the original Tennessine atom.
This chain connects the new element to known, established isotopes, confirming its identity.
| Material | Symbol | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Calcium-48 | ⁴⁸Ca | Projectile Beam |
| Berkelium-249 | ²⁴⁹Bk | Target |
| Step | Daughter Nucleus | Half-Life |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Roentgenium-290 | ~9.3 ms |
| 2 | Meitnerium-286 | ~12 ms |
| 3 | Bohrium-282 | ~127 ms |
| 4 | Dubnium-278 | ~2.5 min |
A massive machine that uses electromagnetic fields to propel charged particles to nearly 10% the speed of light.
The "anvil." Its high purity is critical to ensure the desired fusion reaction occurs without interference.
A sophisticated filter that separates the few atoms of the new element from trillions of other particles.
The "camera." It records the location, energy, and time of each decay event to reconstruct the decay chain.
The "hammer." A continuous, high-intensity stream of the projectile isotope essential for fusion.
No major discovery is accepted without scrutiny. In a Letter-to-the-Editor, a scientist might raise crucial questions about the methodology, data interpretation, or conclusions of a study.
The journey to confirm Tennessine, from its creation to the scholarly debate in scientific letters, embodies the very spirit of science. It is a process built not on taking claims at face value, but on rigorous, repeatable evidence and open, critical dialogue.
Each new element added to the periodic table is a testament to human curiosity and our unwavering commitment to expanding the map of the known universe.
The dialogue sparked by a single letter is not a weakness, but the very system of checks and balances that makes scientific discovery so powerful and reliable .