Oganesson

Oganesson is a synthetic chemical element with atomic number 118. Its known isotopes are highly radioactive, and it is the heaviest element currently recognized.

Atomic number: The number of protons in an atom’s nucleus, which determines its chemical element. Oganesson is element 118 because its nucleus contains 118 protons.
Joint Institute for Nuclear Research: A research center in Dubna, Russia, founded jointly by member states to study nuclear and particle physics. Its team conducted the experiments that first produced nuclei attributed to element 118.
Superheavy element: A chemical element with atomic number 104 or greater, whose nuclei are typically produced in laboratories. Oganesson lies at the extreme end of the superheavy elements.
Relativistic chemistry: The study of how relativistic effects alter the structure and behavior of atoms and molecules, especially those with heavy nuclei. Relativistic effects may strongly alter oganesson’s electron structure and chemical behavior.
Chemical element: A pure substance whose atoms all have the same number of protons. Oganesson is one element, defined by its proton count despite having multiple isotopes.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory: A United States national laboratory in California that conducts research in science, technology, and national security. Its researchers collaborated with Dubna scientists in the element-118 discovery work.
Dubna gas-filled recoil separator: A device that separates fusion products from other reaction products using magnetic fields and a gas-filled chamber. The separator helped isolate candidate oganesson nuclei from the intense background of the bombardment.
Periodic trends: Recurring patterns in elemental properties across periods and down groups of the periodic table. Oganesson challenges simple extrapolations of noble-gas trends to the heaviest known element.
Periodic table: A tabular arrangement of chemical elements by atomic number and recurring chemical properties. Oganesson occupies group 18 and period 7, at the table’s lower-right edge.
Yuri Oganessian: A Russian-Armenian nuclear physicist known for experimental work on the synthesis of superheavy elements. The element’s name honors the scientist who led much of the research that made its discovery possible.

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