Periodic table gets longer and longer

The periodic table has been extended from 114 to 116.

It is official - the periodic table has now been extended to 114 and 116. But don't get too excited; these new elements have been produced artificially, by bombarding elements together.

For element 116 calcium nuclei were smashed into curium ones, creating this elusive and highly radioactive new element that only lasted a fraction of a second. It is unlikely that there will ever be a use for elements with such a short lifespan, remaining for ever of interest to researchers, rather than ordinary mortals.

Indeed, some academic qualification bodies have confirmed that even students needn't worry about knowledge of these new elements, which are for the most part un-named anyway. However, there is a purpose to this quest for new elements as scientists are convinced that after element 126 stability of a sort may be reached again. This discovery would have far greater practical implications of course, but we are still a long way off.