"If an atom is going to decay, why doesn't it lose protons or neutrons one at a time? The reason is that the alpha particle is very very stable, and that's related to this idea of magic numbers." ...

What makes oxygen oxygen and not, say, iron is not what these two elements are made of—both kinds of atoms have nuclei made of protons and neutrons, with a surrounding cloud of electrons. It’s how ...

For the first time, scientists have created oxygen-28, a rare oxygen isotope that has 12 more neutrons than oxygen-16, the most common form of oxygen on the planet. This newly created "heavy" oxygen ...

Holly has a degree in Medical Biochemistry from the University of Leicester. Her scientific interests include genomics, personalized medicine, and bioethics.View full profile Holly has a degree in ...

The strongest force in the Universe is the one that holds together the protons and neutrons in an atom’s nucleus. To unlock how elements are forged, the physics of neutron stars and more, scientists ...

The heaviest version of oxygen ever created falls apart mysteriously quickly. This finding implies a problem with our understanding of a fundamental force of nature. Yosuke Kondo at the Tokyo ...

Adding a single proton to a doubly magic isotope of oxygen is enough to significantly alter its properties, an international team of physicists has discovered. Led by Tsz Leung Tang at the University ...