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A team of Russian and American physicists has taken a mommy element (calcium) and a daddy element (Californium) and made a brand-new baby element — as in, so brand-new that it’s never existed before.
Scientists said they smashed together calcium with the manmade element Californium to make an atom with 118 protons in its nucleus. The new element lasted for just one millisecond, but it was the heaviest element ever made and the first manmade inert gas — the atomic family that includes helium, neon and radon. …
Moody said the new element will not be named until it is approved by an international association of chemists. Elements 113, 114, 115, and 116 are still unnamed.
Our mission is clear — let’s name element 118! I’ll start it off; I’m lobbying for the obvious mashup of “calcifornium.” Leave your own suggestions in the comments (and feel free to take a crack at elements 113-116 too, if you’re feeling extra-creative) and we’ll send the best candidate off to Lawrence Livermore.
given its “antecedants”, shouldn’t it be “cali-fornica-nium”?
posted by Howard Modell on 10-18-2006 at 2:46 pm
Californium + calcium = Montereyjackium
posted by Jef on 10-18-2006 at 2:58 pm
Maybe they should offer to call it Jong Ilion if he’ll just leave the atom-smashing to them.
Let’s see, should probably have an “on” ending if it’s an inert gas, so how about pilon, neodon, or caldon?
Have you trademarked Calciforium so they will have to pay you big bucks to use it?
posted by Tom on 10-18-2006 at 3:09 pm
Wait, there’s more! Since we already have Lawrencium, this should be called Livermoron, no?
posted by Tom on 10-18-2006 at 3:24 pm
I think in order to be hip and cool, they should name the new element “Orlyium” or “L337ium”. Not that the scientific community has ever been hip and cool…we now have a “dwarf planet” (aka: asteroid) named “Xena”.
posted by Sean on 10-18-2006 at 3:47 pm
How about Obesiums since it’s the heaviest element?
posted by Stevie on 10-18-2006 at 3:59 pm
My vote for all 5
113. Moe
114. Larry
115. Curly
116. Shemp
118. Joe
You can always add an ‘ium’ or ‘on’ to the end to make them more scientific.
posted by Drew on 10-18-2006 at 4:18 pm
Yeah, let’s call element 113 Moe-on… sorry, couldn’t resist.
Hmm, I propose that, since it was the heaviest element made yet, we call it Santium, after Santa Claus. (If that one works, I’d better get a *lot* from him this year.)
Or, if it needs an “on” at the end, Knowlon, after Harry Knowles. (Yeah, I’m still going with the heavy thing.) I’d suggest Headon (apply directly to the Table of Elements), but that makes no sense.
posted by Sillstaw on 10-18-2006 at 4:39 pm
Jonny.
posted by Michael on 10-18-2006 at 4:43 pm
I was thinking Curlyum has a nice ring to it. He was the heaviest stooge during his time right?
posted by Drew on 10-18-2006 at 4:52 pm
Howz about - CXVIIIUM, pronounced ‘asphixium’or, what I’ll probably do to myself if I think too much more about this:)
posted by Alan on 10-18-2006 at 4:53 pm
Hmm … Nucularium [noo’KYOO-lair,ee-uhm] … in honor of our reigning president of the USA.
And since we have Francium, Americium, Germanium, etc., why not Iranium? Iraqium?
Personally, I like the name Umumumumumumumumumumium.
posted by Billifer on 10-18-2006 at 5:18 pm
Since it was created by a Russian-American team, and there is already Americium, how about:
Russium (or Russon if you insist on the on)
posted by Louis on 10-18-2006 at 5:34 pm
How about:
whatthehelldowedowiththisium?
posted by Sheldon Siegel on 10-18-2006 at 6:07 pm
how about uslyssium?
posted by kevin on 10-18-2006 at 6:42 pm
Californication. That’s credited to RHCP.
posted by P. Hudak on 10-18-2006 at 9:16 pm
113-hectotriskaidekium
114-gatesium/gateson
115-buffetium/on
116-tolkienium
117-frodium
and…
118-mentalflission
…it just sounds so cool!
posted by Ian on 10-18-2006 at 9:53 pm
Nevadium. After all, where do Californians go to get smashed?
Vegas, baby!
posted by Sandy on 10-18-2006 at 10:02 pm
How about Amessium (American-Russian)
I do like the Livermoron and Obesium though.
posted by Aimee on 10-18-2006 at 10:46 pm
Name it Steve Colbert.
posted by wydraz on 10-19-2006 at 8:11 am
Gotmilkium?
posted by Dave on 10-19-2006 at 8:24 am
I meant to submit Fornicalcium, but I desist and now support Tom’s Livermoron.
posted by Scriveyn on 10-19-2006 at 8:58 am
How about:
Unobtainium
No, I simply could not resist.
posted by Krusher on 10-19-2006 at 11:49 am
I vote for Colberton (Colbertium?), since it guarantees some free publicity.
posted by Lucres on 10-19-2006 at 12:45 pm
I like Livermoron.
And Jonny.
posted by Janel on 10-21-2006 at 1:21 am