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Verified Claims: 22
Scientific Sources: 24
Fermium (Fm), element 100 on the periodic table, is a synthetic, radioactive metal belonging to the actinide series [33], [49]. It is not found naturally on Earth [15]. Fermium was first identified in 1952 in the debris from a thermonuclear explosion [34]. Due to the small amounts produced and short half-lives of its isotopes, fermium is primarily used for scientific research [13], [34].
Fermium is a human-made, radioactive element. It's a metal that sits in the actinide series of the periodic table [33], [49].
Scientific research
Discovery of Fermium announced by Albert Ghiorso and colleagues [34].
News of Fermium's discovery was declassified and shared [34].
A group at the Nobel Institute in Stockholm independently created a few atoms of fermium by bombarding uranium-238 with oxygen nuclei and obtained fermium-250 [34].
Underground nuclear tests in Nevada used to produce heavier elements like Fermium [26].
Fermium was discovered in the fallout from the first hydrogen bomb test, code-named Ivy Mike, conducted in the Pacific in 1952 [34].
First appeared: 1952
Smooth trends in fermium charge radii and the impact of shell effects
Laser spectroscopy measurements along the fermium isotopic chain reveal smooth evolution of nuclear size, suggesting diminished shell effects compared to lighter nuclei [5].
Fermium is radioactive and poses a health risk upon exposure [34].
Due to its presence only in research settings, general public avoidance is not applicable.