A Visual Encyclopedia of the Periodic Table

124

Actinides

Curium is a silvery, radioactive metal that

glows reddish purple in the dark. This element

was discovered by the US scientist Glenn T Seaborg

at the University of California. It was named after

Marie Curie, the scientist who discovered the element

polonium. Several space probes, such as the Philae

comet lander, use X-ray devices containing curium

to study their environment.

Curium

Cm

96

Berkelium

Bk

97

Seaborg

helped develop

the atom bomb,

but opposed

using it in

World War II.

Glenn T Seaborg

Philae lander

Marie Curie working in her laboratory

University of California, Berkeley campus, USA

This element was named after the city

of Berkeley – home to the University of

California – where this artificial element

was discovered. It was first synthesized by

Glenn T Seaborg. Berkelium has no uses

other than the creation of heavier elements,

such as tennessine.

96 96 151

State: Solid

Discovery: 1944

97 97 150

State: Solid

Discovery: 1949

This lander

studied

the surface

composition

of the

comet 67P.

124-125_Curium_Berkelium_Californium_Einsteinium.indd 124 02/12/16 10:00 pm