Interesting Engineering on MSN

Americium: How a small element could power the next century of space exploration

Americium is one of the lesser-known synthetic elements, first created in 1944 during the Manhattan Project. The isotope of interest for space is americium-241. Its half-life is a staggering 432 years ...

Heavy atomic nuclei are not as symmetric as previously thought, physicists find

Many heavy atomic nuclei are shaped more or less like squashed rugby balls than fully inflated ones, according to a ...