Are there Unrevealed Elements Beyond The Periodic Table?
Summary
This PBS Space Time episode explores the scientific plausibility of fictional elements like dilithium, explaining how gaps in the periodic table led to the creation of artificial elements such as technetium. The host details the complex nuclear forces and "magic numbers" that determine atomic stability, highlighting why certain elements are unstable and how computational models predict a future "island of stability" with potentially useful superheavy elements. The discussion concludes with a debate on anthropic reasoning and the "grabby aliens" hypothesis, questioning whether humanity is un…
Topics discussed
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Introduction: Fictional elements and gaps in the periodic table
Mendeleev's predictions and the discovery of Technetium
Why Technetium is absent from nature
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Radioactivity, isotopes, and nuclear stability
Strong nuclear force vs electromagnetic force
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Neutron-to-proton ratios and nuclear shell magic numbers
Nuclear pairing and the specific instability of Technetium
Computational models and the Island of Stability
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Synthesizing elements and reaching the Island of Stability
Practical applications of artificial elements
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Patreon shoutout: Naming Element 267
Listener mail: Grabby aliens and anthropic reasoning
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