After a year of fastidious planning, a microscopic sample of the ultra-rare radioactive element berkelium arrived at a Berkeley Lab. With just 48 hours to experiment before it would become unusable, a ...

What do magnets, smartphones and medical imaging devices have in common? They all depend on rare earth elements called lanthanides, which are vital for modern technology. Yet, separating these ...

In ancient Greek mythology, the Titan Prometheus was bound to a rock as punishment for stealing fire from the gods and giving it to humans. The rare radioactive element promethium was named after him ...

Catalysts that could recycle carbon dioxide into clean fuel. Compounds that could boost the power of batteries. Proteins that could transform how we treat disease. Every day, scientists hunt for new ...