[gippgig]

A new study of 115 has been done (open access; PRL 108 022502; DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.022502). Besides detecting 21 more atoms of ²⁸⁸115 (but no ²⁸⁷115) 1 atom of ²⁸⁹115 was apparently made by the ²⁴³Am(⁴⁸Ca,2n) reaction. Its decay is consistent with the previous data from the ²⁹³117 decay chains.

[gippgig]

Another follow-up report has been published: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevC.87.014302. The missing nuclide ²⁷¹Bh was observed in the decay of ²⁸⁷115.

[gippgig]

www.newscientist.com/article/dn24119-fresh-evidence-emerges-for-superheavy-element-115.html#.Uh7mjnEpB3s (currently free with registration). The X-ray data should be conclusive.

[Dan1195]

Finally there is confirmation of the element 115 chains from another facility. There are now 53 decay chains from²⁸⁸115 detected. Read the Preprint paper from Lund.

First interesting thing was the 2 alpha-EC chains and 5 alpha-alpha-EC chains. These chains were not included in the paper so it is unclear how many of the latter chains could potentially belong to ²⁸⁹115. The other possibility is EC decay from ²⁸⁴113 and ²⁸⁰Rg. These would be the best 2 candidates for this in the decay chain as ²⁷⁶Mt has a shorter lifetime and ²⁷²Bh is too close to the beta-stability line. Of course we have no data on EC decay for any element about Bh so we only have systematics to estimate the likely EC lifetimes of these nuclei. The ²⁹⁰115 decay chain is much more likely to have EC as a decay mode but we only have 6 decay chains here (and there chains are harder to produce do to needing ²⁴⁹Bk to produce these chains.

Second it appears chain #4 may show the ²⁷⁶Mt isomeric state previously detected in the Dubna experiments due to its long lifetime (~15 half-lives).

[gippgig]

This story made the Washington Post newspaper: http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/make-room-at-the-periodic-table-a-new-is-element-is-born/2013/08/29/caae5550-10dc-11e3-b4cb-fd7ce041d814_story.html