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Speaker:  Ani Aprahamian

Abstract: The periodic table of elements is now full up to the Z=118, element, Oganesson, the last element in the noble gas column of elements.  The table contains elements that were in time identified by fission and by nuclear reactions. Some of them were deliberately created in the laboratory. While there is no limit to the table of elements ending with Z=118, the question remains about the potential that these  elements could also be made in nature.  The heavy elements are made by rapid neutron capture processes including  neutron star mergers as one of the potential sites. Were the superheavy elements made in nature? I will talk about the possibilities.