Mysterious Element 'Einsteinium' Measured by Scientists For The First Time
3 FEBRUARY 2021
Dragons lurk at the edges of the map of known elements – atomic giants so delicate, and so scarce, they defy easy study.
One such behemoth has finally given up at least some of its secrets, with chemists managing to gather just enough einsteinium to flesh out important details on the mysterious element's chemistry and ability to form bonds.
For the better part of 70 years, isotopes of einsteinium have proven frustratingly difficult to study. Either they're way too hard to make, or they have a half-life of less than a year, and what precious little is created begins to fall apart like a sandcastle at high tide.