Scientists at the Japanese applied physics centre RIKEN have succeeded in synthesising element 113 of the periodic table. An atom of this element was obtained as early as 2003, when Americans and Russians were carrying out joint research on chemical element 115, but their discovery has not yet been recognised worldwide, so the Japanese have every chance of becoming the progenitors of the atom of the long-awaited element 113.
To arrive at a global scientific discovery of worldwide importance, one has to go through years of persistent trials and experiments. This is how the Japanese reached success: for many years they carried out experiments with a linear accelerator, which later helped them to discover the mysterious and elusive element 113 of the periodic table. The research base where the work was done is in the Japanese city of Wako, not far from the capital, Tokyo.
The first experiment carried out by the Japanese in order to find element 113 was conducted as long ago as 2003, when the scientists bombarded bismuth-209 with a beam of zinc ions moving at 1/10 of the speed of light. As a result of this experiment, the scientists detected three decay chains of the sought chemical element, but all of them were recorded at different times – sometimes with a gap of more than a year. The first chain was recorded on 23 July 2004, the second – on 2 April 2005, and the third on 12 August 2012. As the scientists were able to establish, the nucleus of the new element can live for 0.3-4.9 milliseconds and then decays without remainder.
Japanese scientists consider that the authorised bodies now have every ground to recognise the physicists' discoveries officially and to enter them in the history of world applied chemistry and physics as the discoverers of element 113 of the periodic table. If this happens and the scientific community recognises the discovery of the Japanese physicists, they will be the first in history able to name a discovered element at their own discretion. As for the significance of the discovery of a new element for world science, the scientists do not yet know how the discovered chemical element can be put to the greatest use, but everyone understands that its practical application is only a matter of time – no more.
Thus the Japanese physicists have become, for the first time in history, the discoverers of a new chemical element and will be able to give it a name if the results are approved by the international association of applied chemistry and physics.
Published: 01.10.12
To arrive at a global scientific discovery of worldwide importance, one has to go through years of persistent trials and experiments. This is how the Japanese reached success: for many years they carried out experiments with a linear accelerator, which later helped them to discover the mysterious and elusive element 113 of the periodic table. The research base where the work was done is in the Japanese city of Wako, not far from the capital, Tokyo.
The first experiment carried out by the Japanese in order to find element 113 was conducted as long ago as 2003, when the scientists bombarded bismuth-209 with a beam of zinc ions moving at 1/10 of the speed of light. As a result of this experiment, the scientists detected three decay chains of the sought chemical element, but all of them were recorded at different times – sometimes with a gap of more than a year. The first chain was recorded on 23 July 2004, the second – on 2 April 2005, and the third on 12 August 2012. As the scientists were able to establish, the nucleus of the new element can live for 0.3-4.9 milliseconds and then decays without remainder.
Japanese scientists consider that the authorised bodies now have every ground to recognise the physicists' discoveries officially and to enter them in the history of world applied chemistry and physics as the discoverers of element 113 of the periodic table. If this happens and the scientific community recognises the discovery of the Japanese physicists, they will be the first in history able to name a discovered element at their own discretion. As for the significance of the discovery of a new element for world science, the scientists do not yet know how the discovered chemical element can be put to the greatest use, but everyone understands that its practical application is only a matter of time – no more.
Thus the Japanese physicists have become, for the first time in history, the discoverers of a new chemical element and will be able to give it a name if the results are approved by the international association of applied chemistry and physics.
Published: 01.10.12