The heaviest abundant element known to exist is uranium, with 92 protons (the atomic number "Z"). But scientists have succeeded in synthesizing superheavy elements up to oganesson, with a Z of 118 ...

The word magic is not often used in the context of science. But in the early 1930s, scientists discovered that some atomic ...

Scientists are using trapped ions in cutting-edge experiments to hunt for signs of an undiscovered particle that might help ...

Scientists measuring the nucleus of calcium-48 to determine how its 20 protons and 28 neutrons are distributed inside its nucleus found that the protons and neutrons aren’t simply sprinkled ...

In nuclear physics, "magic numbers" identify specific numbers of protons or neutrons that lead to especially stable nuclei.

Scientists discovered a method to create element 116 using a titanium beam, paving the way for future synthesis of element 120, the "holy grail" of chemistry.

So for instance, to make the element oganesson, which has 118 protons, scientists usually fire a beam of calcium (with 20 protons) at a target made of californium (with 98 protons).

For example, to make flerovium (114 protons, named after Russian physicist Georgy Flerov, who founded JINR), they need to hit plutonium (94 protons) with calcium (20 protons).

For the atoms of the first 20 elements, the number of neutrons is either equal to or slightly greater than the number of protons. For example, the vast majority of carbon atoms have 6 protons and 6 ...

Physicists at ETH Zurich in Switzerland have a novel plan to uncover an unknown fifth force of nature long theorized to exist ...

New research shows that protons contain intrinsic charm quarks. This is despite the fact that subatomic charm quarks are about 1.5 times more massive than the proton, itself.