First Superheavy Element Found In Nature

First Superheavy Element Found In Nature:

"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."

http://science.slashdot.org/science/08/04/28/1253247.shtml
Received on Tue Apr 29 10:17:29 2008