Those zany scientists, always finding out new shiny-bright science facts.  The periodic table has just gotten a little more crowded say hi to as yet unnamed elements 114 and 116.

“The elements were recognized by an international committee of chemists and physicists. They’re called elements 114 and 116 for now — permanent names and symbols will be chosen later.

You’re not likely to run into any of this stuff. Scientists make them in labs by smashing atoms of other elements together to create the new ones.

“Our experiments last for many weeks, and typically, we make an atom every week or so,” said chemist Ken Moody of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, who’s part of the discovery team.

In contrast to more familiar elements like carbon, gold and tin, the new ones are short-lived. Atoms of 114 disintegrate within a few seconds, while 116 disappears in just a fraction of a second, Moody said.”

Wow, these elements disappear faster than Peter McKay can change his story about flying about in helicopters on the taxpayers dime.

“Both elements were discovered by a collaboration of scientists from Livermore and the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna, near Moscow. They made them by smashing calcium ions into atoms of plutonium or another element, curium. The official recognition, announced last week, cites experiments done in 2004 and 2006.”

Enjoy the updated periodic table. :) – Oh and feel free to leave any suggestions for what we should call the new elements in the comments section – I’m putting forth Hawkensium and Planckium.