First, an electron interaction excited a proton within the lithium nucleus, causing it to decay into a neutron and a pion. “If this neutron subsequently transfers its energy to another proton ...

All of this would be great if it weren't for the fact that muons are unstable and typically decay in under two microseconds. Putting one in orbit around a helium nucleus adds to the complications ...

Physicists have, for the first time ever, successfully compressed an unstable nucleus, Nickel 56. This nucleus is not found on Earth but is present when a star explodes at the end of its life ...

How does an unstable nucleus ‘know’ when it’s time to decay? The answer may lie in the fabric of space itself.

A nucleus becomes unstable when there are too many neutrons or protons disrupting the strong nuclear forces that hold it together. What causes a nuclei to be stable? The forces among the particles ...

Radioactive decay is ubiquitous. It occurs everywhere on Earth and throughout the universe. The most common forms occur when an unstable nucleus spits out an alpha particle, consisting of two neutrons ...

Atoms which have unstable nuclei are radioactive and are called radioisotopes or radionuclides. The change that an unstable nucleus undergoes is called disintegration or decay. When unstable nuclei ...

An unstable nucleus can emit a fast-moving electron called a beta (β) particle, to become more stable. Beta radiation is made up of a stream of beta particles emitted from unstable nuclei within ...

Tin-132 is pretty unstable, with a half-life of only 40 seconds, but giving it one more neutron (tin-133) makes it significantly more unstable. Magic nuclei hate it when new neutrons crash their ...

In the fifth inning last night, with two outs and a runner on first, Brian Roberts swung at a high fastball for strike three. He flung his bat toward the dugout and spiked his helmet near home plate.

Scientists have found the first experimental evidence that an atomic nucleus can harbor bubbles. The unstable isotope silicon-34 has a bubblelike center with a paucity of protons, scientists ...

An unstable nucleus can emit a ‘package’ of two protons and two neutrons, called an alpha particle, to become more stable.