Unveiling the Secrets of Superheavy Elements and the Periodic Table's Limits

An international research team has used laser spectroscopy to study fermium isotopes, providing insights into the nuclear structure of superheavy elements. Their findings, published in Nature, reveal that nuclear shell effects diminish as nuclear mass increases, with macroscopic properties becoming more dominant. This research enhances understanding of the stabilization processes in heavy elements and supports theoretical predictions about the reduced influence of local shell effects in heavier nuclei.