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Four Newly Discovered Elements Receive Names (theverge.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the name-tag dept.

Press2ToContinue quotes a report from The Verge: The proposed names for recently discovered superheavy elements are: Nihonium and symbol Nh, for the element 113; Moscovium and symbol Mc, for the element 115; Tennessine and symbol Ts, for the element 117; Oganesson and symbol Og, for the element 118. This isn't finalized. Not sure I even like some of these, and maybe you feel the same way. Above are the proposed names that will substitute for the current placeholders (e.g., ununpentium, ununseptium). Nilhonium, Moscovium, and Tennesine are all named for places; Oganessen is named for the Russian physicist Yuri Oganessian. But we have until November to lobby for other names. Here's a chance to go down in history and name an element on the periodic table. How about naming one Elementy McElementface?

191 comments

  1. god no by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

    How about we just don't...

    1. Re:god no by quenda · · Score: 4, Funny

      They'll probably just get reclassified as dwarf elements one day.

    2. Re:god no by transami · · Score: 0, Troll

      Agreed. The Greeks were actually *smart* people. They gave things names that were descriptive in their own language. We are *dumb* people, we give things names in dead languages. -- For every new word that no one can understand and thus easily recall, everyone is made proportionally dumber.

      --
      :T:R:A:N:S:
    3. Re:god no by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Back then 99.9% of people were completely illiterate. So take your romanticized overgeneralizations somewhere else. It has also been the machinations of a few "smart" people that keep the vulgar tongue separate from "high speech" to ensure 99.9% of people remain functionally illiterate.

    4. Re:god no by Sique · · Score: 5, Informative
      This is simply wrong. Many apparently greek words aren't of greek origin, but also the greek took over words from other languages. Case in point: the peach. The word comes from the old french word pesche (modern french: pêche), which comes from middle latin pesca, which in turn comes from classical latin persica, which originally was malus persicum, which derives from greek mêlon persikón, which in turn comes from the old persian word Parsuwash, which in turn was an Old Persian speaking tribe in the Iranian Highlands.

      Just because your own knowledge of a word ends with the greek origin doesn't mean that the word itself didn't enter the greek language itself as a foreign word.

      --
      .sig: Sique *sigh*
    5. Re:god no by michelcolman · · Score: 2

      Yes, I don't know what's wrong with names like ununseptium, at least you can remember them. It's not like people need catchy names for them when they use them in the kitchen. As far as I know, they only exist (briefly) because scientists like to go "hey, quick, come and look, I managed to make one with 117 protons!"

    6. Re:god no by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Well,...since the placeholder names start with "unun", how about:

      Unty McUntface.

      I can't see anything wrong with that.

    7. Re:god no by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Only if that would get Neil Degrasse Tyson's name in the newspaper.

    8. Re:god no by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You clearly are not familiar with My Big Fat Greek Wedding. EVERYTHING originated in Greek.

    9. Re:god no by Opportunist · · Score: 2

      Relax. 99% of new element names are $town+ium. Even $researcher_name+ium fell out of use.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    10. Re:god no by Anne+Thwacks · · Score: 4, Interesting
      While there are exceptions, the general rule in English is that names should not be in use in the language already. The simplest way to achieve this is to use a word that belongs in another language - particularly if this provides some contextual guidance as to its meaning. Real or fake Greek words are associated with the concept of science.

      We associated the idea of descriptive names with other cultures, and do not call our daughters things like "cloud-flower" (although we do use Fern, Ivy, April, etc).

      --
      Sent from my ASR33 using ASCII
    11. Re:god no by laie_techie · · Score: 1

      We associated the idea of descriptive names with other cultures, and do not call our daughters things like "cloud-flower" (although we do use Fern, Ivy, April, etc).

      I have a sister-in-law whose name means "first leaf". She was so named because she was born in the spring. I had a scout master whose name means "big mouth" because he cried a lot as a newborn. My sister's friend has a name which means "peace" because of her disposition as a newborn. Just because in the US we rarely use descriptive names doesn't mean they are out of fashion elsewhere.

    12. Re:god no by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There was no France 2000+ years ago.

    13. Re:god no by inode_buddha · · Score: 1

      "Agreed. The Greeks were actually *smart* people. They gave things names that were descriptive in their own language. We are *dumb* people, we give things names in dead languages. -- For every new word that no one can understand and thus easily recall, everyone is made proportionally dumber."

      So the word "Testicles" is meaningless to you?

      --
      C|N>K
    14. Re:god no by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Question to Slashdotters:

      Those elements are "short living".

      Can we name one of them Unobtainium (Uo) ?

    15. Re:god no by Bob+the+Super+Hamste · · Score: 2

      Well had I followed this naming scheme my first one would have probably been named "cries but doesn't eat". The second one may have been named angry shitcannon though.

      --
      Time to offend someone
    16. Re:god no by Coren22 · · Score: 1

      Only if one is found to be a room temperature superconductor; even for a few ms.

      --
      APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
    17. Re:god no by Coren22 · · Score: 1

      So we should call them all "gonein60seconds"?

      --
      APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
    18. Re:god no by dave420 · · Score: 1

      Well done! You've earned a cookie!

    19. Re:god no by RockDoctor · · Score: 1

      Apart from trying to make a funny, do you have any grounds for disputing or refining the current definition of an "element" in a way that would leave these as not being "elements"?

      --
      Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"
    20. Re:god no by quenda · · Score: 1

      Apart from trying to make a funny, do you have any grounds for disputing or refining the current definition of an "element" in a way that would leave these as not being "elements"?

      The analogy is that unstable elements are like the asteroids or Kuiper belt. When you discover the first ones, it is all very exciting, and their names become famous.
      Periodic tables get updated.
      But after a while it becomes apparent that there are thousands of them, and they just get numbers. Everybody knows Pluto and Plutonium, but after that it gets a bit fuzzy. Even nerds might know just one asteroid.

      You can make Plutonium or Americinium in industrial quantities, but the "discovery" of #118 was indirect evidence of the death of just a few atoms, with a half-life of less than a millisecond.

      --
      Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs

      And all vertebrates are fish?

    21. Re:god no by RockDoctor · · Score: 1

      But after a while it becomes apparent that there are thousands of them, and they just get numbers.

      Errr, no - so far 118 elements, with several thousand isotopes. Minor plants, well over 100 thousand so far, with about 10000 named ones. Three so far that have been closely inspected by robots (one still under inspection - Ceres).

      Even nerds might know just one asteroid.

      Didn't you read the sign above the door - "News for Nerds"? You obviously don't know many astronomy nerds.

      but the "discovery" of #118 was indirect evidence of the death of just a few atoms, with a half-life of less than a millisecond.

      Yes, I did read the papers at th time of discovery. Fascinating time-of-flight chemistry to confirm some of the chemical properties in the milliseconds available. And that makes their binary state (existent or non-existent) different somehow? They exist.

      Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs

      And all vertebrates are fish?

      All vertebrates (arguably excluding tunicates - very arguably) which have crania (skulls; excludes Amphioxus and possibly Haikouella and cognates), and jaws (excluding the hundreds of species of agnathan fish, including a handful of fossils in my collection from Achannaras, as well as the extant lampreys and hagfish), and true bone (as opposed to cartilage) as a structural support for their bodies, are fish. That includes, you, me, the dinosaurs in the trees and the whale-relatives walking the plains of the Serengeti and the coelacanths off the coasts of Madagascar and Indonesia. But not the sharks, skates and rays.

      Didn't you learn any biology in school?

      --
      Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"
    22. Re:god no by quenda · · Score: 1

      Explaining jokes to Aspies never ends well. :)

    23. Re:god no by RockDoctor · · Score: 1

      What jokes?

      --
      Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"
  2. Gangsta by sjbe · · Score: 1

    Oganesson and symbol Og

    So THAT is what they mean when they say someone is the "OG"...

    1. Re:Gangsta by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      Considering that it's a superheavy element...

      IS THAT A FAT JOKE???

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    2. Re:Gangsta by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      you mean Phat joke.

    3. Re:Gangsta by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Triggered ...

  3. Elerium-115 by lcarnevale · · Score: 5, Funny

    Element 115 should be named Elerium, of course http://www.ufopaedia.org/index...

    1. Re:Elerium-115 by l0n3s0m3phr34k · · Score: 1

      .I was just thinking the exact same thing. Too bad none of these elements have a gravity field that extends outside their own electron shell.

    2. Re:Elerium-115 by willworkforbeer · · Score: 2

      117: MasterChiefium?

      --
      Pretending this is my office full of bitter coworkers..
    3. Re:Elerium-115 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Doesn't writing it as "Elerium-115" (as the article is titled) imply that it's a specific isotope of "Elerium" with an atomic *weight* (not number) of 115?

    4. Re:Elerium-115 by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 1

      Maybe we need a chryssalid terror mission to convince Moscow to see our point of view on this one...

    5. Re:Elerium-115 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

      Um, they all do. All the way to the edge of the universe.

    6. Re:Elerium-115 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes, yes it does. Hence Uranium-235 (the common one used in fission) is element number 92.

    7. Re:Elerium-115 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Um, they all do. All the way to the edge of the universe.

      Um, woosh.

    8. Re:Elerium-115 by michelcolman · · Score: 1

      SwedishCheffium!

    9. Re:Elerium-115 by mrchaotica · · Score: 1

      Wouldn't that imply that "Elerium-115" would just be an alternative name for indium (atomic weight 114.818) or one of the nearby elements (e.g. cadmium, tin)?

      --

      "[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz

    10. Re:Elerium-115 by michelcolman · · Score: 1

      I think they should just have some sort of online competition so people can propose and vote for the best names.

    11. Re:Elerium-115 by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      With the symbol "Brk"?

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    12. Re:Elerium-115 by RenderSeven · · Score: 1

      All the way to the edge of the universe.

      It's turtles all the way down, my friend. All the way down.

      So.... "turtlanium" and "waydownium"?

    13. Re:Elerium-115 by Xamindar · · Score: 1

      Yeah, then you end up with "Ely McElementFace"

    14. Re:Elerium-115 by Culture20 · · Score: 2

      Probably a much higher proton number, since Elerium is used to produce anti-gravity, so the isotopes of Elerium probably contain anti-neutrons which reduce the atomic weight down to 115.
      90's video game pseudo science! Woo!

    15. Re:Elerium-115 by lgw · · Score: 1

      More seriously, I hope we get to 137 while all the researchers who want to name it Feynmanium (Fy) are still alive. He certainly deserves it, plus he published a paper about that element and the problem it posed for theory at the time. (For those who don't know, 137 is a special number to physicists - half of them probably have it as the combination to their briefcases - it's from the fine structure constant, and shows up all over the place).

      --
      Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
  4. Elements named after locations by Shinobi · · Score: 2

    Elements being named after locations is not exactly new, so I don't understand the submitters whining.

    Terbium, Holmium, Ytterbium, Erbium, Thulium, Lutetium, Hassium... The list goes on...

    1. Re:Elements named after locations by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 4, Funny

      Maybe about the disproportionate share of tiny Swedish villages?

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
    2. Re:Elements named after locations by Sique · · Score: 1

      Replying to undo mis-moderation.

      --
      .sig: Sique *sigh*
    3. Re:Elements named after locations by Rei · · Score: 1

      You can never have too many elements named after tiny Swedish villages. I'm voting for Luspebrygganium next! ;)

      --
      Maybe, but I can barely make out what you're saying because your horse is too high.
    4. Re:Elements named after locations by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      One is too many

    5. Re:Elements named after locations by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      Fascinating. What was the town's name before the earthquake?

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    6. Re:Elements named after locations by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Maybe about the disproportionate share of tiny Swedish villages?

      There's a book called "The Disappearing Spoon" by Sam Kean, that mentions this exact thing (and quite a bit more about the history of the elements of the periodic table). It's a good read and not at all dry and stuffy.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Disappearing_Spoon

    7. Re:Elements named after locations by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Swedishchefium does seem appropriate here; the whole process is totally borked.

      Actually, I'm conflicted here. I worked at Berkelium and Livermorium, in Californium, Americium, along with Lawrencium and Seaborgium. (I'm old...)
      Sweden doesn't have a monopoly here.

      But please, can't we just have one of them called Ghiorsium? Albertium would be too confusing for those who think that one element named for Einstein is enough already, and anyway people called Ghiorso "Al"; he was most unpretentious. And in any event, we would then get back to the "Alium"/"Alum" issue again, unless it ended up being Noble, (Not "Nobel", although Al probably deserved one...), and thus suitably called "Alon" or "Albon". ("Albion" would be right out, unless it would mollify the Brits who may feel slighted at this point.) "Moscovium" is thoroughly political; Dubna has already been honored. So is "Nilhonium", but then again "Nagasakium" would have been _too_ political. Oganessian is still alive. "Tennessine" is just strange; the contributions of Oak Ridge to Ununseptium was the Berkelium target material. (Pronounced "Berk-lium", not "Berk-eel-ium"...) But that precedent was set with "Nobelium", which initially was _not_ named for Alfred Nobel, but for the Nobel Institute which claimed the first discovery, before Seaborg, Ghiorso, et al. proved the claim erroneous.)

      As for other names, we could continue the Uranium, Neptunium, Plutonium tradition by naming one of them "Erisium", ("Erison" if noble...), or go in the other direction with "Saturnium"/"Saturnon"/"Saturnine".
      Place names have been overdone, unless "Lavallium", for the pizza place closest to the Berkeley Accelerators is considered. Naming after people and institutions has also been overdone, which pretty much leaves Properties and Minerals. Properties are difficult to determine, and Minerals haven't yielded new Elements in many decades. And lastly, Mythology. The Greeks and Romans are well represented, but there is also the Norse "Thorium" and "Vanadium". What hasn't been adapted? Zoroaster/Mazda, Ishtar, a bunch of Egyptians and Hindus, the Asian Myths... there are a _lot_ of Myths.

    8. Re:Elements named after locations by danlip · · Score: 1

      correction: "tiny Swedish village", i.e. singular. Yttrium (Y), erbium (Er), terbium (Tb), and ytterbium (Yb) are all named after the same tiny Swedish village (Ytterby).

    9. Re:Elements named after locations by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Americium, Californium, Berkelium...

    10. Re:Elements named after locations by RockDoctor · · Score: 1
      Ummm, do you know why the disproportionate number of elements named from that Swedish village?

      It's because they had a mine, which produced a mineral called yttria, of use in the early gas-mantle industry. You do know what gas mantles are, and I'm sure you've used plenty of them in the past. I think I've still got a couple in a drawer somewhere, as part of the caving gear.

      They also had a series of top-notch mineralogists who identified variant mineral specimens, and chemists who identified variations within them.

      If it weren't for that tiny Swedish village, then the same elements (in the sense of nuclei with a particular number of protons within them) would have names from either some tiny mining village in Montana, or some mining city in China. BFD.

      --
      Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"
  5. Americans will spell it Moscovum by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2

    Just so all the non-Americans can have something else to whinge about besides Aluminum.

    1. Re:Americans will spell it Moscovum by Rei · · Score: 5, Informative

      I'm sorry, but "aluminium" is outright wrong.

      Humphry Davy, the man who isolated it, never called it that. He called it "aluminum" and "alumium". Never aluminium. The latter was suggested by an anonymous critic who said that he didn't like the sound of aluminum, that it didn't sound "classical" enough to him. Never mind that the classical elements were overwhelmingly -um, not -ium: ferrum, plumbum, argentum, stannum, cuprum, aurum, hydrargyrum, etc. The first element ending in -um added to the known elements since ancient times was platinum, also not a -ium. Also discovered before aluminum were molybdenum and tantalum.

      The reason that many elements started getting endings of -ium rather than just -um wasn't because "-ium was more classical" - it's because they were often named after the things they were isolated from which often had i near the end, making it a convenient joining stem - magnesium from magnesia, zirconium from zirconia, yttrium from yttria, and on and on. Some did it indirectly as well, such as beryllium, which was originally glucium (from glucina), but had the gluc- replaced with beryl to distinguish it from other sweet-compound-forming elements. If you want to use -i as the joining stem on aluminum, it should be called alumium - which is one of the names Davy suggested. It comes from alumina, not "aluminia".

      Call it alumium if you want (that would be a perfectly reasonable name), but your added, ahistorical syllable addition in "aluminium" will continue to grate on my ears. There's no such thing as "aluminia"

      --
      Maybe, but I can barely make out what you're saying because your horse is too high.
    2. Re:Americans will spell it Moscovum by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      We don't whinge about things. We whine about them.

    3. Re:Americans will spell it Moscovum by houghi · · Score: 5, Funny

      Got it. Alumni it is.

      --
      Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
    4. Re:Americans will spell it Moscovum by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      We don't whinge about things. We whine about them.

      Then you are obviously not a non-American.

    5. Re:Americans will spell it Moscovum by KozmoStevnNaut · · Score: 0

      Aluminium.

      --
      Eat the rich.
    6. Re:Americans will spell it Moscovum by Quirkz · · Score: 2

      Great. Now when you've only got one atom/piece of it, nobody will know if they should call it alumn or alumnus.

      --
      The Quirkz Handbook of Self-Improvement for People Who Are Already Pretty Okay
    7. Re:Americans will spell it Moscovum by Rei · · Score: 2

      Which grouping of words is real?

      #1
      Alumina
      Aluminate
      Aluminosilicate
      Aluminothermic

      #2:
      Aluminia
      Aluminiate
      Aluminiosilicate
      Aluminiothermic

      In no way is the root of aluminum "alumini". It's either "alumin" or just "alum". Again, calling it "alumium" would be just fine. But "aluminium" is just wrong. And ahistorical.

      I know, it's weird to have a strong opinion about an issue like this...

      --
      Maybe, but I can barely make out what you're saying because your horse is too high.
    8. Re:Americans will spell it Moscovum by Opportunist · · Score: 0

      Why should I whine about you spelling Aluminium wrong? That's your problem, not that of the rest of the world.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    9. Re:Americans will spell it Moscovum by KozmoStevnNaut · · Score: 1

      Nevertheless, aluminium is the most widely-accepted spelling.

      --
      Eat the rich.
    10. Re:Americans will spell it Moscovum by Friggo · · Score: 2

      To nitpick a bit, Humphry Davy never isolated it, he tried, but didn't get there.
      According to the Wikipedia article the one credited with isolating aluminium was the German scientist Friedrich Wöhler in 1827.

    11. Re:Americans will spell it Moscovum by Rei · · Score: 1

      IUPAC uses both words about equally often and considers both valid - and they're the authority on the issue (this is actually a change from their earlier stance, where they had tried to force aluminium as the standard).

      --
      Maybe, but I can barely make out what you're saying because your horse is too high.
    12. Re:Americans will spell it Moscovum by careysub · · Score: 1

      IUPAC uses both words about equally often and considers both valid - and they're the authority on the issue (this is actually a change from their earlier stance, where they had tried to force aluminium as the standard).

      That is not really different from what the poster you are replying to said. IUPAC made the name "aluminium" official, the rest of the world adopted it, the US refused to go along, and finally IUPAC gave up and allowed the idiosyncratic American usage as an acceptable one.

      Fortunately they are sticking to their guns regarding the metric system.

      --
      Starships were meant to fly, Hands up and touch the sky - Nicky Minaj
    13. Re:Americans will spell it Moscovum by oldmac31310 · · Score: 1

      Well, to my ears 'aluminum' just sounds clumsy. Go ahead. you can keep it.

      --
      http://www.acetonestudio.com
    14. Re:Americans will spell it Moscovum by Rei · · Score: 0

      That is not correct. IUPAC did not take a stand until 1990, then reversed their stand three years later.

      Fortunately they are sticking to their guns regarding the metric system.

      1. The US needs to join with the rest of the world and ditch their antiquated system of measures for the reasonable system that the rest of the world uses. The British, mind you, are hardly leaders in this regard either.

      2. The British need to get over themselves and realize that they have no more authoritative claim over the English language than anyone else, and while they have more historically accurate, reasonable terminology in some areas, they also have less historically accurate, unreasonable terminology in others.

      --
      Maybe, but I can barely make out what you're saying because your horse is too high.
    15. Re:Americans will spell it Moscovum by Rei · · Score: 1, Interesting

      The British English term for reducing a substance with lithium is a lithiothermic reaction.
      The British English term for reducing a substance with magnesium is a magnesiothermic reaction.
      The British English term for reducing a substance with sodium is a sodiothermic reaction.
      The British English term for reducing a substance with calcium is a calciothermic reaction.
      The British English term for reducing a substance with aluminum is a aluminothermic reaction. No "i".

      At least be consistent with your ahistorical, irregular naming conventions.

      --
      Maybe, but I can barely make out what you're saying because your horse is too high.
    16. Re:Americans will spell it Moscovum by Rei · · Score: 0

      You know, you could come across a bit more haughty if you wrote that while riding in a gilded carriage and eating foie gras off the back of the underpaid immigrant footman who you hired to replace the last one who you had deported after he served you your St. Helena coffee too cold and didn't hum "God Save the Queen" while shining your designer shoes.

      --
      Maybe, but I can barely make out what you're saying because your horse is too high.
    17. Re:Americans will spell it Moscovum by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      In all fairness, the coffee was freezing. I told him exactly how I like my coffee, at 40 degrees, just above body temperature, and that ingrate imbecile put my perfectly steaming coffee in the fridge for half an hour!

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    18. Re:Americans will spell it Moscovum by sysrammer · · Score: 2

      Careful, think about it. This is just what the Aluminati want you to think!

      --
      His ignorance covered the whole earth like a blanket, and there was hardly a hole in it anywhere. - Mark Twain
    19. Re:Americans will spell it Moscovum by Impy+the+Impiuos+Imp · · Score: 1

      The people who walked on the moon had aluminum equipment.

      That's all "the rest of the world" needs to know.

      --
      (-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
    20. Re:Americans will spell it Moscovum by Rei · · Score: 1

      I think Icelandic was right to just avoid the whole conflict altogether and just call it "ál" ;)

      --
      Maybe, but I can barely make out what you're saying because your horse is too high.
    21. Re:Americans will spell it Moscovum by pjt33 · · Score: 1

      If you coffee was steaming at 40 degrees, the air pressure must have been rather low. As in, less than 10% of standard pressure.

    22. Re:Americans will spell it Moscovum by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      Believe me, coffee can be steaming in Winter without first climbing on top of a mountain.

      Boiling, ok, but who'd want his coffee boiling?

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    23. Re:Americans will spell it Moscovum by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, to my ears 'aluminum' just sounds clumsy. Go ahead. you can keep it.

      I suppose you prefer molybdenium and platinium too?

      A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds.

    24. Re:Americans will spell it Moscovum by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He called it "alumium" first (1807), then "aluminum", and finally settled on "aluminium" in 1812, which was the name preferred by most of his colleagues. Up until the mid 1890's, the use of "alumin-um" and "alumin-ium" in the US was fairly evenly split, though chemists and academics tended to refer to it as "alumin-ium". The shift to "alumin-um" happened when the metal became more widely available and entered common vocabulary.

      Yet, it remains an almost exclusively American word. The rest of the world continues to refer to it as "alumin-ium" and the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) officially standardised on "alumin-ium" in 1990. To the vast majority of the people in the world, "alumin-ium" is normal and "alumin-um" sounds weird and incomplete... like a toddler mispronouncing a difficult word.

  6. I can't be the only one wondering... by RevRagnarok · · Score: 4, Informative

    This article is tagged Japan because "Nihonium takes its name from the Japanese name for Japan and was the first new element discovered there, at the RIKEN lab." ( http://www.popsci.com/four-new... )

    --
    I should put something clever here. Maybe someday.
    1. Re:I can't be the only one wondering... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Congratulations! Have some sweets

    2. Re: I can't be the only one wondering... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wow, you is smart!

  7. That doesn't matter much by hcs_$reboot · · Score: 1

    Most natural elements are not known from most people (Rubidium, a.n. 37, 16th most abundant on Earth...) ; these super heavy elements need names, but that's for the physicists and other inner circles interested in physics.

    --
    Slashdot, fix the reply notifications... You won't get away with it...
    1. Re:That doesn't matter much by disposable60 · · Score: 4, Funny

      LEMMIUM! Where's Lemmium? The heaviest element possible.

      --
      You're looking for quotes? See my journal.
    2. Re:That doesn't matter much by Aruta · · Score: 1

      Yes, it's pretty much an inner joke and, as someone else mentioned in this thread, a reflection of prestige and power. Nothing to do with science (or even populatization of it) at all. I quite liked the "placeholder" names, they made it easier to know what you were talking about, even if your latin was sketchy. "ununpentium" means 115, and it's easy. Now, only utter geeks will be able to remember what the atomic number for ones like Ytterbium. Call it something like "septnihilum", and it's way easier to remember. Well, some people have cars as "extensions", others have elements...

      --
      This universe shipped by weight, not by volume. Some expansion of the contents may have occurred during shipment.
    3. Re:That doesn't matter much by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      LEMMIUM! Where's Lemmium? The heaviest element possible.

      I know, but elements are named after places or scientists.
      "Mayum" would be allowed, but wouldn't really fit for a heavy element.

    4. Re:That doesn't matter much by Opportunist · · Score: 2

      I thought that's Yourmomium.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    5. Re:That doesn't matter much by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The James Bond name; "PussyGaloriaium"

      That fat ass is some heavy shit.

    6. Re:That doesn't matter much by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You're a Dingalingium.

  8. Periodic Videos by Bender+Unit+22 · · Score: 4, Informative

    Allow me to push one of my favorite YouTube channels to you. :)

    New Elements Named - Periodic Table of Videos :
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

  9. Scientists have no sense of humor. . . by Salgak1 · · Score: 1, Funny

    . . . .otherwise, one of the newly named elements would be. . .

    "Elementy McElementface"

    (grin)

    1. Re:Scientists have no sense of humor. . . by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      . . . .otherwise, one of the newly named elements would be. . .

      "Elementy McElementface"

      (grin)

      Urist McElement (DF fans would appreciate this)

    2. Re:Scientists have no sense of humor. . . by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      how cute, you think this has to do with science.
      Naming rights are a reflection of power and prestige.

    3. Re:Scientists have no sense of humor. . . by Salgak1 · · Score: 2

      how cute, you think this has to do with science.
      Naming rights are a reflection of power and prestige.

      So. . . Element Privilege ??? /boggle

    4. Re:Scientists have no sense of humor. . . by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      You literally just repeated a joke that's in the summary.

      Jesus Fucking Christ. Never mind not RTFA, Slashdotter's don't even RTFS anymore!

    5. Re:Scientists have no sense of humor. . . by Salgak1 · · Score: 1

      Probably because I read it on New Scientist, yesterday. And really, The Verge as a science source ??

    6. Re:Scientists have no sense of humor. . . by l0n3s0m3phr34k · · Score: 1

      "In other news, IUPAC promises that they will name one of the isotopes Elementy."

    7. Re:Scientists have no sense of humor. . . by ausekilis · · Score: 1

      It's just a shame that F***face VonClownstick is already taken.

    8. Re:Scientists have no sense of humor. . . by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      One of them should be Dominium (Do) so that we can make a Mc-Do-N-Al-Ds.

    9. Re:Scientists have no sense of humor. . . by Applehu+Akbar · · Score: 1

      "Elementy McElementface"

      Or, perhaps 'ginsburgium'
      https://www.washingtonpost.com...

    10. Re:Scientists have no sense of humor. . . by Salgak1 · · Score: 1

      One of them should be Dominium (Do) so that we can make a Mc-Do-N-Al-Ds.

      And if you get the combo, you ALSO get Francium, Iodine, and Einsteinium. . . .

    11. Re:Scientists have no sense of humor. . . by ThosLives · · Score: 1

      This "X McXface" thing is an interesting example of the homogenization of childhood and adulthood.

      --
      "There are a dozen opinions on a matter until you know the truth. Then there is only one." - CS Lewis (paraprhase)
    12. Re:Scientists have no sense of humor. . . by Deadstick · · Score: 1

      Would you catch up an old fart on that meme? I take it the boat wasn't the first appearance...where's the root?

    13. Re:Scientists have no sense of humor. . . by ChunderDownunder · · Score: 1

      Of course they do.

      Elements 99 and 112 were named in memory of characters from the Back to the Future trilogy.

    14. Re:Scientists have no sense of humor. . . by SeriousTube · · Score: 1

      Thats Xy McXface.

    15. Re:Scientists have no sense of humor. . . by Opyros · · Score: 1

      http://www.slate.com/blogs/lexicon_valley/2016/03/25/boaty_mcboatface_mcdreamy_tits_mcgee_and_the_internet_s_favorite_naming.html

    16. Re:Scientists have no sense of humor. . . by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

      It reminds me of "X Jock McX, winner of last year's Mr X competition" which IIRC used to crop up in Blackadder when they'd run out of willy jokes, i.e. most of series 2 and 3.

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  10. Slashdotium by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Symbol Sd

    1. Re:Slashdotium by hcs_$reboot · · Score: 1

      Sounds like that element has a half-life of 10 years.

      --
      Slashdot, fix the reply notifications... You won't get away with it...
    2. Re:Slashdotium by NotInHere · · Score: 3, Funny

      Yeah, it decays into lower elements like Redditium. One of the forms this happens is the so called slashdot beta decay.

  11. FTFY by The+Grim+Reefer · · Score: 2

    How about naming one Elementy McElementfaceium?

    FTFY

    1. Re:FTFY by Sique · · Score: 1

      The -ium is not required, albeit abundant. Except Helium, none of the noble gases has one, they all end in -on, same as Carbon or Boron. All halogens end in -ine. Neither do Bismuth, Zinc, Manganese, Nickel or Cobalt end in -ium. Iron (Ferrum), Copper (Cuprum), Lead (Plumbum), Silver (Argentum) and Gold (Aurum) just have the -um, not the -ium.

      --
      .sig: Sique *sigh*
    2. Re:FTFY by Applehu+Akbar · · Score: 1

      The -ium suffix is the standard for metals other than those that were already named in ancient times. Helium was named as a metal by mistake, because it was first discovered in the spectrum of the Sun.

    3. Re:FTFY by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The -ium suffix is the standard for metals other than those that were already named in ancient times. Helium was named as a metal by mistake, because it was first discovered in the spectrum of the Sun.

      No, I don't think it was named "as a metal by mistake", I think it was named after Helios.
      Please see comment on -ium vs -um endings.

    4. Re:FTFY by cellocgw · · Score: 1

      Helium was named as a metal by mistake, because it was first discovered in the spectrum of the Sun.

      Seeing as the name of the sun god is/was "Helios," not to mention that "helum" would be weird, I'm skeptical of your claim. I would think that "helium" is the closest pseudo-Latin form of the Greek word.

      --
      https://app.box.com/WitthoftResume Code: https://github.com/cellocgw
    5. Re:FTFY by lgw · · Score: 1

      Metals are only named -ium because it's a -um stuck on the end of a base word that already had the "i". he suffix is the -um part, the "i" part is (sometimes) from the root. E.g., Helios becomes helium.

      --
      Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
    6. Re:FTFY by Applehu+Akbar · · Score: 1

      Yes, it was a mistake. When Janssen and Lockyer discovered an unknown set of lines in the spectrum of the Sun in 1868, spectroscopy was a new discipline. They identified it as a "Metal of the Sun." Oopsie!

  12. How is this news? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    They practically just rediscovered the decayed form of Elerium 115.

  13. It sounds like the submitter by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    has a problem with some of the names being Russian, which of course resonates with this BeauHD-guy. Respect the work these scientists have done for mankind, and take your petty russophobic attitude and GTFO.

    1. Re:It sounds like the submitter by Rei · · Score: 1

      Wow, reading into things much?

      --
      Maybe, but I can barely make out what you're saying because your horse is too high.
  14. Og by wiredog · · Score: 1

    I miss OGG the open source caveman.

    --

    Best Slashdot Co
  15. Daltonium by GrahamCox · · Score: 3, Insightful

    And still no Daltonium. It's simply wrong that the scientist who first came up with the modern concept of what an element actually is (and which led to the periodic table itself) is ignored while far less known names get the honour.

    1. Re: Daltonium by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Which is why he had a unit named after him...

    2. Re:Daltonium by Ecuador · · Score: 2

      Well, he does have an atomic mass unit named after him, not to mention 4 prominent characters in the best Franco-Belgian western comic book...

      --
      Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. Polar Scope Align for iOS
    3. Re:Daltonium by ChunderDownunder · · Score: 1

      Timothy was the worst Bond ever, that's why.

  16. "Nilhonium"? by Rei · · Score: 2

    Come on, if you're going to insert letters the element's name, at least call it "Nihilonium" - an element that doesn't care whether anything continues to exist or not. ;)

    --
    Maybe, but I can barely make out what you're saying because your horse is too high.
    1. Re:"Nilhonium"? by Quirkz · · Score: 1

      Cthulhum, the element that devours all?

      --
      The Quirkz Handbook of Self-Improvement for People Who Are Already Pretty Okay
    2. Re:"Nilhonium"? by Rei · · Score: 1

      Cthulhum, the element that devours all?

      Länthium! Länthium!

      --
      Maybe, but I can barely make out what you're saying because your horse is too high.
    3. Re:"Nilhonium"? by Rei · · Score: 1

      Ugh... that should have read "Länthanum"... way to ruin my own joke ;)

      --
      Maybe, but I can barely make out what you're saying because your horse is too high.
    4. Re:"Nilhonium"? by oldmac31310 · · Score: 1

      There is absolutely no need for the 'i' blah, blah, blah...

      --
      http://www.acetonestudio.com
  17. Argon by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Back in an hour

  18. BoatyMcBoatfaceum by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Why not?

    1. Re:BoatyMcBoatfaceum by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Because that meme was stupid when it was new. Now it's stupid and old.

  19. Tedious McTediousface by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Or maybe they do have a sense of humour, it just isn't along the lines of finding that horribly overexposed, overrated and wasn't-that-original-in-the-first-place meme hilarious, particularly when its fifteen minutes of fame should be long-expired, but it's still being dragged out as an easy canned example by people willing to show they have a wacky, hilarious sense of humour just like every other tedious git.

  20. I'm going to miss ununpentium by LichtSpektren · · Score: 1

    AMD should've made a lightweight CPU using ununpentium instead of Silicon.

  21. Sir David Attenboroughium by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Then just name 1 of its Protons Elementy.

  22. raining on parades by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Why do we need names, beyond calling them element-n, it makes learning simpler.

    1. Re:raining on parades by Applehu+Akbar · · Score: 1

      Why do we need names, beyond calling them element-n, it makes learning simpler.

      Because "Element 26-Man" just doesn't have that ring to it.

    2. Re:raining on parades by MistrX · · Score: 1

      Memorizing a list of properties by number is just as hard as memorizing a list of properties by name.
      I'd say we have to make the names descriptive of an elements property.
      E.g. Gold would be: 'YellowyExpensium', Oxygen: 'BreathGasium' or what about 'FunnyVoicium' for Helium? :D

    3. Re:raining on parades by i.r.id10t · · Score: 1

      But what would Gaspodium be? The Alchemists Guild wants to know!

      --
      Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos
    4. Re:raining on parades by Shinobi · · Score: 1

      If anything gets named after the Alchemists Guild, it'd be something more volatile than FOOF, and it'd be called Explodium or Disintegratium...

    5. Re:raining on parades by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

      But what would Gaspodium be? The Alchemists Guild wants to know!

      Gaspodium? I think that's what she said.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
  23. It should be obivous by MistrX · · Score: 1

    There should ALWAYS be a Cowboy Neal option in there.

  24. Re:Elements are for Cows by Applehu+Akbar · · Score: 1

    They were going to name the first one 'vaccium', but there was concern that liberals would reflexively protest against it on the assumption that it had something to do with antibodies.

  25. Element naming by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Kirkium
    Spockium
    Enterpriseium

    1. Re:Element naming by cb88 · · Score: 1

      Yodadium
      Vaderium
      Lukium
      Reynium

  26. Nephilimium by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'm still waiting for Nephilimium to be discovered.

    1. Re:Nephilimium by Anne+Thwacks · · Score: 1

      Personally, I want live long enough to experience the discovery of "Unobtanium"

      --
      Sent from my ASR33 using ASCII
    2. Re:Nephilimium by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Personally, I want live long enough to experience the discovery of "Unobtanium"

      That's exactly how long you'll live because Unobtanium splits into smaller Unobtanium atoms in place of standard atomic decay chains and quickly forms Unobtanate in an Earth-like environment.

  27. Nephilimium by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'm still waiting for Nephilimium to be discovered. It'll definitely be a "Giant" atom.

  28. Orangium by PopeRatzo · · Score: 4, Funny

    When I'm president, all new elements will be named after me and it will be tremendous. They will be classy, classy elements. Not loser elements like Nihonium.

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
    1. Re:Orangium by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      When I'm president, all new elements will be named after me and it will be tremendous. They will be classy, classy elements. Not loser elements like Nihonium.

      And they will be HUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Elements...... :)

    2. Re:Orangium by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Dude, you're the Pope already. You want to be the president too?

    3. Re:Orangium by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      PopeRatzo wrote:

      When I'm president, all new elements will be named after me and it will be tremendous. They will be classy, classy elements. Not loser elements like Nihonium.

      LOL, I can hear drumpf's voice. Dana Carvey just did an impression of drumpf on Conan:

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0xoX_9fAzQ

      This video is funny too:

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uXJ1mgkyF0

      This video is friggin hilarious::

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vMptxLtIUY

    4. Re:Orangium by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      LOL, I can hear drumpf's voice.

      What does Trump have to do with this discussion?

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
  29. Pity for Octarine by VZ · · Score: 1

    I guess this petition never had a high chance of succeeding, but it's still a pity we're not going to have octarine in the periodic table.

  30. SlashDotium? by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

    So that people can look at it on the Periodic table and exclaim "What is this even doing here?

    --
    The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
  31. Depressing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It's depressing that, out of the four names proposed, three have obvious tribal overtones.

  32. Europe is multilingual by tepples · · Score: 2

    In which of the European Union's 24 official languages at last count should a name for something discovered in Europe be meaningful? I think they choose Greek because it's the oldest European civilization to have become literate, with whose history Europeans speaking one of the other 23 languages are expected to be familiar.

    1. Re:Europe is multilingual by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

      They chose Greek because along with Latin it was what scholars used until fairly recently.

      One advantage is that it enables them to more precisely & specifically name new things, e.g. television and telescope are different but are both literally "far seers".

      The other is that it keeps the oiks in their place.

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  33. Not sure I even like some of these! by aglider · · Score: 1

    And ... who would care?

    --
    Sent as ripples into the electromagnetic field. No single photon has been harmed in the process.
  34. unverisal labels by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Agreed. The Greeks were actually *smart* people. They gave things names that were descriptive in their own language. We are *dumb* people, we give things names in dead languages. -- For every new word that no one can understand and thus easily recall, everyone is made proportionally dumber.

    No, we give things names in "universal" languages. What language would you have people use? English? Japanese? Chinese? Russian? Other?

    By using a "dead" language, we allow it to have a universal label that's applicable everywhere, but also a local tag as well. In English we have "maple trees", but in (e.g.) Germany and Japan they call them something else, but everyone can refer to the "Acer genus", and then a specific species therein:

    * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maple
    * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Acer_species

    How many different names are there for "gold"? By referring to it as "aurum" it has a universal label that everyone can memorize once (in addition to the label of their locale).

    1. Re:unverisal labels by bzn · · Score: 1

      No, we give things names in "universal" languages. What language would you have people use? English? Japanese? Chinese? Russian? Other?

      Unicode?

    2. Re: unverisal labels by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Buttfuckium, Shitcockium, Fecalphallusium, and Fagsrapedmydogium. There. Those are gud fuggin names.

  35. HitlerDidNothingWrongium? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Though I think GushingGrannium has a better ring to it

  36. Whatever happened to Lemmium? by marsu_k · · Score: 1

    I mean, Lemmy Kilmister was/is a legend, and these new elements are heavy metals, right?

    1. Re:Whatever happened to Lemmium? by caffiend2049 · · Score: 1

      I was wondering the exact same thing. My (tiny) kingdom for some mod points!

      --
      Pandering to the lowest common denominator would be less frequent if more people were prime numbers.
  37. Should be named... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    EILF, obviously.

  38. Sooo.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Do any of these elements actually exist in any measurable quantity on earth outside of a lab... and in the lab is their existence measured in something more than nano seconds?

  39. Elementy McElementface by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Why are we not naming one Elementy McElementface?

  40. Sherlockium by LeadSongDog · · Score: 2

    ... it's elementary!

    --
    Oh, I'm sorry sir, I thought you were referring to me, Mr. Wensleydale.
  41. Let Internet Decide Names by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Let the Internet decide to name the newly discovered elements. Like we did Boaty McBoatface.

    1. Re:Let Internet Decide Names by careysub · · Score: 1

      Let the Internet decide to name the newly discovered elements. Like we did Boaty McBoatface.

      Indeed. What could possibly go wrong.

      --
      Starships were meant to fly, Hands up and touch the sky - Nicky Minaj
  42. Here is the Actual IUPAC Announcement by careysub · · Score: 1

    http://iupac.org/elements.html

    --
    Starships were meant to fly, Hands up and touch the sky - Nicky Minaj
  43. Element 115 : Lazarium or Alienium by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Ok personally I think it's just plain stupid to not name element 115 something a LOT more appropriate. Like Lazarium or Alienium.

  44. how about by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Fuck U McFuckface

  45. oh mr writer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    you missed out! Ellie McElementface ftw

  46. Should have named one Jennerium by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    In honor of a person who has made great contributions to science: Caitlyn Jenner

    Other scientific concepts could also have been honored:
    Elementium to honor the elements.
    Periodicum to honor the Periodic Table of Elements.

    Runners up include: Obamanium and Trumpium.

  47. I still don't see Unobtainium on the chart by swschrad · · Score: 1

    heck, most of my hobby stuff is made of it. I need a big block to whittle more parts from.

    --
    if this is supposed to be a new economy, how come they still want my old fashioned money?
  48. Duh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Element McElementface

  49. Title is an oxymoron by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Elements take forever to name so it cannot be true that they both received names and are newly discovered.

  50. Allow me to suggest.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Unobtanium. Kryptonite. Mithril. Octiron. Vibranium. Adamantine. Dilithium. Frinkonium.

    Also, Elementy McElementface isn't technically an element. It's composed of 3 memeium atoms.

    That is all.

  51. False cognates by tepples · · Score: 1

    I've seen the first MBFGW. A lot of words are related to Greek, but Michael Constantine's character in that movie was also very good at finding false cognates to Greek. The same is true of Isaac Mozeson with Hebrew, or Joseph Greenberg and Merritt Ruhlen with everything else.

  52. Joulenium by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Why do not have an element called Joulenium? There's no element in the table represented with a J yet, you can represent it with a single letter! And it will honour Joule!

  53. Transuraniumy McTransuraniumface? by Tashlan · · Score: 1

    They're all in that weird category of incredibly short-lived, toxic and radioactive elements, but the names ought to be simple and memorable. It would really cheese off the British scientific establishment if we could get one named David Attenborough.

  54. Illuminatium by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    nuff said