THE newest and heaviest addition to the periodic table , who discovered that the Earth orbits the sun.
The (IUPAC) officially recognised the element in June. A team led by Sigurd Hofmann at the , Germany, which made the first atom of the element, chose the name 鈥渃opernicium鈥�.
Copernicus, the 鈥渇ather of the planetary system鈥�, is an apposite choice, says Hofmann, because there are already three elements 鈥� uranium, neptunium and plutonium 鈥� named after planets.
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IUPAC has yet to officially endorse copernicium so that it can be added to the periodic table, but it has a good chance of passing muster. According to , elements are named after minerals, places, mythological concepts and characters, or famous scientists.
One of the only obstacles would be if it turns out the name has an inappropriate meaning in another language, says John Jost of IUPAC.
鈥淥ne obstacle to naming copernicium would be an inappropriate meaning in another language鈥�