So Will Chemistry Teachers Have to Order New Posters Now?

Move over Copernicium! A collaboration of scientists from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California (one of our customers - we're so proud!), and the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Russia are being recognized today for officially creating two new elements! Scientists first created these elements in 1999 and 2000, respectively, by slamming lighter atoms together to see if they would stick. After a lengthy experimentation and review process by the International Unions of Pure and Applied Chemistry and Physics they are now certified and ready to take their rightful spots as the heaviest members of the periodic table. Both of these elements are radioactive and exist for less than a second before decaying into lighter atoms. For now the elements are being referred to by their element numbers, 114 and 116, since the discovers are still in the process of submitting their recommendations. It's probably a good thing that the naming process is limited only to the researchers that actually discovered the elements. Somehow I think if it was left up to an online poll our kids would be learning the atomic weight of "Bieberum." Read more about the announcement here.