Coupled with Computers Enables Exploration of New Frontiers

Instrumentation Coupled with Computers Enables Exploration of New Frontiers 

The 1960s wimessed the start of the environmental movement. Advances in analytical separations and detection allowed scientists to investigate exceedingly low levels of pollutants. The decade culminated 

Three New Chemical Elements Uncertainties When Welds Are but a Few Atoms 

Three new transuranium elements (elements 103-105) were created during the 1960s, each carrying its own scientific questions. Element 103 is the final actinide. Does it really behave like one Elements 104 and 105 are the first transactinides are they similar to the 5d transition metals hafnium (72) and tantalum (73) The uncertainties about these heavy elements result from the incredible difficulty in making them, the miniscule amounts (a few atoms) obtained in experiments, and their very short lifetimes. Experiments on single atoms or small groups of atoms challenge our most fundamental concepts of equilibrium, usually limited to collections of billions of billions of atoms. 

The lanthanide series in most modem periodic tables (e.g., the Periodic Table Appendix) includes elements 57 to 70. Chemically speaking, the series 

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