Nobelium

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A synthetic chemical element with the symbol No and atomic number 102 that is part of the actinide series
2. An artificial element that was first created in a laboratory in the mid-20th century, sought after for research purposes
3. An element named in honor of Alfred Nobel, primarily used in scientific experiments and known for its radioactivity

Etymology: Alfred Nobel, the Swedish chemist who invented dynamite and funded the prizes that bear his name, is honoured here in a chemical element that has nothing to do with explosives. The name was given to element 102, a synthetic element that does not occur naturally and exists only in tiny quantities produced in laboratories. Its name follows the standard pattern of chemical element names, with the "-ium" ending that chemists use for metallic elements. The element was named after Nobel because of the institution that carries his name and the laboratory work surrounding it. Scientists who produced the element wanted to recognise the man whose fortune supported the prizes that rewarded scientific achievement. The choice links a chemical element to a figure remembered more for peace and literature prizes than for his own laboratory discoveries.