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Periodic Table Gets a New, Unnamed Element

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the so-many-ideas dept.

koavf writes "More than a decade after experiments first produced a single atom of 'super-heavy' element 112, a team of German scientists has been credited with its discovery, but it has yet to be named. The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry has temporarily named the element ununbium, as 'ununbi' means 'one one two' in Latin; but the team now has the task of proposing its official name." Slashdotium? Taconium? Man, I shoulda gone into science so I could have named something sweet that kids have to memorize in classes.

17 of 461 comments (clear)

  1. It's so obvious by Wonko+the+Sane · · Score: 5, Funny

    Colbertium

  2. Best name ever by splatacaster · · Score: 5, Funny

    Unobtainium

    1. Re:Best name ever by troll8901 · · Score: 5, Funny

      Unobtainium

      ... also known as element 404.

  3. Re:Q-36 Explosive Space Modulator by intjgeek · · Score: 5, Insightful

    They should auction the right to name it off to the highest bidder. Use the proceeds for further research or donate it to charity..etc..

    --
    -- INTJ Geek Blog http://www.intjgeek.com
  4. Interesting Fact by Lord+Byron+II · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The natural abbreviation for Plutonium is Pl, which was free since Platinum uses Pt. One of the discoverers, Glenn Seaborg, thought it would be funny to submit it with the abbreviation Pu. He figured the joke would be noticed and the abbreviation changed, but it never happened.

    1. Re:Interesting Fact by leshii · · Score: 5, Informative

      ^ As one article puts it, referring to information Seaborg gave in a talk: "The obvious choice for the symbol would have been Pl, but facetiously, Seaborg suggested Pu, like the words a child would exclaim, 'Pee-yoo!' when smelling something bad. Seaborg thought that he would receive a great deal of flak over that suggestion, but the naming committee accepted the symbol without a word." Clark, David L.; Hobart, David E. (2000). "Reflections on the Legacy of a Legend: Glenn T. Seaborg, 1912â"1999" (PDF). Los Alamos Science 26: 56â"61, on 57. Retrieved on 2009-02-15 http://www.fas.org/sgp/othergov/doe/lanl/pubs/00818011.pdf

  5. assuming a trend by spyrochaete · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Due to the atomic number 112 I recommend Fibonaccium, after the Fibonacci sequence which adds the 2 preceding numbers to find the next in sequence.

    1. Re:assuming a trend by Abstrackt · · Score: 5, Funny

      yourmomium?

      --
      They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it's not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance. - Terry Pratchett
  6. Good News Everyone! by strength_of_10_men · · Score: 5, Funny

    They've found the Jumbonium that I've misplaced!

  7. Old school. by lanes · · Score: 5, Funny

    Upsidaisium. Or wonderflonium.

  8. The by JustOK · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Element formerly known as ununb"i. And give it some funky symbol

    --
    rewriting history since 2109
  9. Re:A semantic quibble about these things (rant?) by idontgno · · Score: 5, Insightful

    True. Matter and energy are transient; entropy and stupidity are eternal.

    --
    Welcome to the Panopticon. Used to be a prison, now it's your home.
  10. Once the news reaches Harvard... by W2IRT · · Score: 5, Funny

    Lehrerium!

    --
    Cheers, Peter, W2IRT
  11. elem 112 by Mysund · · Score: 5, Funny

    Hundredandtwelvium

  12. What have the Africans ever done for us? by bigdaisy · · Score: 5, Informative

    Apart from BEER, humanity itself, controlled fire, language (probably), sterilisation of food and water, the world's tallest building (a pyramid) until recently, the roots of most modern popular music genres, airmail (by homing pigeon), the pendulum, the tunnel boring machine, stone tools, knives, pigments, burial, housing, bread, plywood, cement, river boats, sutures, the aqueduct, candles, glass, the water clock, toothpaste, metal block printing, coffee, the astrolabe, the ventilator, explosive gunpowder, the cannon, handguns, cartridges, heart transplants, the CAT scanner, ....

    You mean, apart for all that?

  13. 116 comment and no one mentioned this? by koutbo6 · · Score: 5, Funny

    isn't it obvious?
    Tiberium!
    Now its just a matter of time before the rise of nod.

    --
    You speak London? I speak London very best.
  14. Re:Emergentium by jshackles · · Score: 5, Funny

    No it's 0118 999 881 999 119 7253