On 30 December, four new chemical elements were added to the periodic
table, bringing the total to 118 and instantly making all science textbooks out
of date.
Like other elements created in accelerators and not present in nature, they
have existed only for small fractions of a second.
The Research Institute, located at Memphis, that made these four new
elements, have yet to name them -- "We might want to contact Geary," director
Ralph Williamson said in a press release.
The four elements are currently known by placeholder names derived from
Latin numerals: ununtrium, ununpentium, ununseptium, and ununoctium, for
elements 113, 115, 117 and 118.
In another press release, Geary commented, "If you axes me, I find "113"
easier to pronounce than "ununpentium," but then that's _moi_."
Cheers,
Speranza
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