{
  "id": 281699,
  "title": "Laser spectroscopy helps reveal hidden nuclear properties in fermium",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/07/laser-spectroscopy-helps-reveal-hidden-nuclear-properties-in-fermium",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-07T21:20:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Phys.org",
    "slug": "phys-org",
    "url": "https://phys.org/news/2026-08-laser-spectroscopy-reveal-hidden-nuclear.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "For the first time, researchers have precisely measured the shape of fermium-255's nucleus, providing crucial insights into the behavior of the heaviest atomic nuclei. This discovery, published in Physical Review Letters, supports modern theoretical models and advances our understanding of superheavy elements. Studying atomic nuclei shapes is essential, as they are closely linked to their stability against spontaneous fission, which limits the existence of elements beyond uranium. Producing fermium-255 is highly challenging due to its limited availability from artificial production and the need for dedicated experimental techniques. An international team of scientists from 18 institutions, led by researchers from JGU, HIM, and the University of Gothenburg, used intricate production pathways spanning several years to obtain samples containing only a few billion atoms. Advanced laser spectroscopy was employed to probe the substructure of atomic energy levels in the electron shell, revealing information about nuclear shape. The experiments showed that the fermium-255 nucleus is strongly prolate, resembling a rugby ball, and corrected unphysical values in standard tabulations. This breakthrough opens new possibilities for understanding the behavior of the heaviest atomic nuclei and the search for longer-lived superheavy elements.",
  "summary": "Researchers have successfully determined the shape of the actinide nucleus of fermium-255 using laser spectroscopy, providing high precision and resolution. The study, published in Physical Review Letters, supports modern theoretical models and offers new insights into the behavior of the heaviest atomic nuclei. By studying the shapes of atomic nuclei, scientists gain essential insights into their internal structure, particularly the stability against spontaneous fission, which is crucial for the search for longer-lived superheavy elements. The research involved an international collaboration of scientists and engineers from 18 institutions, who used intricate production pathways to produce samples containing only a few billion atoms of fermium-255. The experiments revealed that the fermium-255 nucleus is strongly prolate, resembling a rugby ball, and aligns well with state-of-the-art nuclear models.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}