Uncharted Elements: Asteroid Polyhymnia Holds Surprises Beyond the Periodic Table

Researchers at the University of Arizona have discovered that the dense asteroid named 33 Polyhymnia may be composed of superheavy elements not found on the periodic table. The asteroid's density is higher than any known elements on Earth, leading scientists to theorize the existence of stable superheavy elements around atomic number 164. This finding could be of interest to companies involved in space mining for precious metals. NASA has been actively studying and collecting samples from asteroids, including the recent successful recovery of the first-ever asteroid sample from Bennu.