The discovery of a new chemical element with atomic number Z=117 is reported. The isotopes ²⁹³117 and ²⁹⁴117 were produced in fusion reactions between ⁴⁸Ca and ²⁴⁹Bk. Decay chains involving 11 new nuclei were identified by means of the Dubna gas-filled recoil separator. The measured decay properties show a strong rise of stability for heavier isotopes with Z≥111, validating the concept of the long sought island of enhanced stability for superheavy nuclei.

Synthesis of a New Element with Atomic Number Z=117, Oganessian, Yu. Ts., Abdullin Sh. F., Bailey P. D., Benker D. E., Bennett M. E., Dmitriev S. N., Ezold J. G., Hamilton J. H., Henderson R. A., Itkis M. G., et al. , Phys. Rev. Lett., Apr/2010, Volume 104, Number 14, p.142502, (2010)

Synthesis of the isotopes of elements 118 and 116 in the Cf249 and Cm245+Ca48 fusion reactions, Oganessian, Yu., Utyonkov V., Lobanov Yu., Abdullin F., Polyakov A., Sagaidak R., Shirokovsky I., Tsyganov Yu., Voinov A., Gulbekian G., et al. , Physical Review C, 10/2006, Volume 74, Issue 4, (2006)

Independent verification of the production of element 114 in the reaction of 244-MeV ⁴⁸Ca with ²⁴²Pu is presented. Two chains of time- and position-correlated decays have been assigned to ²⁸⁶114 and ²⁸⁷114. The observed decay modes, half-lives, and decay energies agree with published results. The measured cross sections at a center-of-target energy of 244 MeV for the ²⁴²Pu(⁴⁸Ca,3–4n)²⁸⁷,²⁸⁶114 reactions were 1.4(+3.2, -1.2) pb each, which are lower than the reported values.

Independent Verification of Element 114 Production in the Ca-48 + Pu-242 Reaction, Stavsetra, L., Gregorich K. E., Dvorak J., Ellison P. A., Dragojević I., Garcia M. A., and Nitsche H. , Physical Review Letters, Volume 103, Number 13, p.132502, (2009)

A NASA press release indicates that NASA's Spirit, the first of two Mars Exploration Rovers on the surface within Mars' Gusev crater, has identified carbonate minerals "in the rover's first survey of the site with its infrared sensing instrument, called the miniature thermal emission spectrometer or Mini-TES. Carbonates form in the presence of water, but it's too early to tell whether the amounts detected come from interaction with water vapor in Mars' atmosphere or are evidence of a watery local environment in the past, scientists emphasized."

"We came looking for carbonates. We have them. We're going to chase them," said Dr. Phil Christensen of Arizona State University, Tempe, leader of the Mini-TES team. Previous infrared readings from Mars orbit have revealed a low concentration of carbonates distributed globally. Christensen has interpreted that as the result of dust interaction with atmospheric water. First indications are that the carbonate concentration near Spirit may be higher than the Mars global average.

After the rover drives off its lander platform, infrared measurements it takes as it explores the area may allow scientists to judge whether the water indicated by the nearby carbonates was in the air or in a suspected ancient lake. http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/press/spirit/20040109a/graph-carb...