The heaviest metal yet discovered, element 117, also known as ununseptium (Uus) until a more official name gets determined for it, is a super heavy metal created in 2010 in a laboratory by Russian and American scientists and it is getting closer and closer to being added to the official Periodic Table of Elements.
A paper describing how the scientists created the new element was recently published in Physical Review Letters.
Before element 117 can be officially added to the official Periodic Table of Elements, other scientists must independently confirm its existence. So far, 72 scientists and engineers have confirmed that ununseptium is a new superheavy element, and deserves to be included in the official Periodic Table of Elements.
The engineers and scientists come from around the globe, from more than 16 different institutions. Still, the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) must examine the new data before ununseptium can be made an official element and added to the Periodic Table of Elements. If element 117 becomes an official part of the Periodic Table of Elements, it would be called a Group VII element. Other elements in this group included bromine, chlorine, and fluorine.
According to a statement made by Oak Ridge National Laboratory Director Thom Mason, the discovery of the new element ununseptium is “a compelling example of international cooperation in science,” one which serves to advance “superheavy element research.”
The discovery of the heaviest metal ever was made when a team of Russians and Americans created element 117, or ununseptium, in a laboratory.
Though it has not yet been officially added to the Periodic Table of Elements, it is likely only a matter of time before element 117 is recognized by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC). (PL)