Researchers discover shortest-lived superheavy nucleus ever recorded

A team of researchers from GSI/FAIR, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, and the Helmholtz Institute Mainz has discovered rutherfordium-252 (Rf-252), the shortest-lived superheavy nucleus on record, advancing the understanding of the “island of stability” in nuclear science.

This discovery, published in Physical Review Letters, sheds light on the stability of superheavy elements. Rf-252 has a half-life of just 13 microseconds, pushing the boundaries of nuclear stability research.

The researchers used an intense titanium-50 beam at GSI’s UNILAC accelerator to create Rf-252, which was then detected through its decay. The findings mark a significant step in refining the “island of stability” model, which predicts regions of superheavy nuclei with long lifetimes.

This breakthrough could guide future studies into heavier elements and their stable isotopes, contributing to the ongoing exploration of the heaviest known elements.