The lead isotope known as lead-208 was considered a “double magic” atom because of its subatomic particles—until the reveal of something completely unexpected. It was supposed to be a ...

TEL, as it was called, was an organometallic compound made up of one lead atom (Pb) and four ethyl groups (CH 3 CH 2). It was not a novel compound. But it was a breakthrough to combine it with ...

The isotope lead-208 was predicted to be extremely stable and perfectly spherical because of the “magic” numbers of electrons and protons orbiting its nucleus. When researchers blasted lead ...