In a physics first, scientists at Berkeley Lab have succeeded at creating element 116 using a titanium beam, a development that could set the pace for the creation of heavier elements, including the long-theorized element 120.
The achievement brings scientists closer than ever to creating the heaviest atom ever created by physicists, believed to represent an “island of stability” amid superheavy elements.
With the discovery of 16 of the 118 elements currently known already under its belt, Berkeley Lab’s breakthrough marks a significant step toward bringing such hypothetical elements into existence.
The Hunt for Element 120
Formally known as unbinilium or Ubn, its temporary systematic IUPAC name and symbol, the theorized element 120 (also known by the nickname eka-radium), if officially discovered, would claim its place on the 8th row of the periodic table. For now, the theorized superheavy element is believed to represent an alkaline earth metal or s-block element.
Superheavy elements generally have short lifespans since they have large and very unstable nuclei capable of ripping themselves apart within just seconds of their creation. The instability arises from their size, which results in protons with positive charges within the nuclei repelling each other.
Hellbound and Down 