The island of stability in nuclear physics is a predicted set of
isotopes of superheavy elements whose half-lives may be considerably
longer than those experimentally observed for these elements. Its
theoretical existence is attributed to stabilizing effects of closed
nuclear shells and magic numbers of protons and neutrons. The island of
stability is generally thought to center near copernicium and flerovium
isotopes with around 184 neutrons, separated from known stable and long-
lived nuclides. While stabilizing effects are expected to be greatest
for nuclides with around 114 protons, other islands of stability might
also exist around heavier nuclides with higher magic numbers. Estimates
of the stability of elements on the island are usually around a half-
life of minutes or days, with some estimates of up to millions of years.
The synthesis of nuclides with up to 118 protons and 177 neutrons has
demonstrated a slight stabilizing effect supporting the island's
existence.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_of_stability>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1814:
War of the Sixth Coalition: At the Battle of Arcis-sur-Aube,
Napoleon suddenly realized his army was vastly outnumbered and hurriedly
ordered a retreat.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Arcis-sur-Aube>
1937:
The papal encyclical Mit brennender Sorge, condemning
antisemitism and criticizing Nazism, was read from the pulpits of all
German Catholic churches.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mit_brennender_Sorge>
1960:
Police in Sharpeville, South Africa, opened fire on a group of
unarmed black demonstrators (depicted) who were protesting pass laws,
killing almost 70 people and wounding about 180 others.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharpeville_massacre>
1980:
Dallas aired its "A House Divided" episode, which led to eight
months of international speculation regarding "Who shot J.R.?"
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_House_Divided_%28Dallas%29>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
carceral:
(formal or literary) Of or pertaining to imprisonment or a prison.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/carceral>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
Nobody grows old merely by a number of years. We grow old by
deserting our ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up
enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.
--Samuel Ullman
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Samuel_Ullman>