unnilseptium

Temporary name of the chemical element with atomic number 107. In 1976 workers at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research at Dubna, U.S.S.R., synthesized the element, but their method of identifying it was criticized as lacking validity. Using the same reaction but a different means of identifying the products, in 1981 P. Armbruster, G. Münzenberg and colleagues at the Gesellshaft für Schwerionenforschung¹ at Darmstadt, Germany, synthesized and conclusively identified atoms of the element.

The name nielsbohrium (symbol, Ns) was proposed, but the element was ultimately named bohrium (symbol, Bh). “The name nielsbohrium is long and includes the first name of Niels Bohr as well as his family name. Such an element name is without precedent. Finally it was decided to refer the matter to the Danish NAO [National Adhering Organization, i.e, Danish physicists]. Its preference for bohrium rather than nielsbohrium was ultimately accepted.”²

1. G. Münzenberg et al.
Identification of element 107 by alpha correlation chains.
Zeitung Phys A300, pages 107–108 (1981).

2. Inorganic Chemistry Division; Commission on Nomenclature of Inorganic Chemistry.
Names and Symbols of Transfermium Elements (IUPAC recommendation 1997)
Pure and Applied Chemistry, vol. 69, no. 12, pages 2471–2473 (1997).

Available on the Web as a pdf file accessible through www.iupac.org/projects/1995/220_30_95.html