Challenging existing theories, physicists have uncovered an unexpected surprise within a doubly magic atom.

Physicists anticipated finding the nucleus of the isotope lead-208 in the shape of a perfect sphere, but the reality proved to be different. This new discovery suggests that atomic nuclei may be more complex than previously thought, which could significantly enhance our understanding of the formation processes of heavy chemical elements. The study has been published in the journal Physical Review Letters, according to ScienceAlert.

The isotope lead-208 is a very unique atom. When the number of protons and neutrons in an atomic nucleus corresponds to magic numbers, the nuclear shell becomes completely filled. In nuclear physics, the magic numbers are 2, 8, 20, 28, 50, 82, and 126. Thus, if the number of protons or neutrons in a nucleus matches any of these magic numbers, the nucleus is termed magical. These nuclei are generally more stable. However, even greater stability is exhibited by doubly magic atomic nuclei, meaning that both the number of protons and neutrons in them correspond to magic numbers. The isotope lead-208 is a doubly magic atom, as its nucleus contains 82 protons and 126 neutrons.

Lead-208 is the heaviest known stable isotope of any chemical element, and it also serves as a crucial cornerstone in nuclear physics, providing key insights into the complete nature of doubly magic nuclei.

Since lead-208 is a highly stable isotope, physicists believed that its atomic nucleus should resemble a perfect sphere. However, when they employed a gamma spectrometer to analyze its structure, they discovered something unexpected. Physicists bombarded the atomic nucleus of the lead-208 isotope with particles traveling at 30,000 km/s. This bombardment excites quantum states within the nucleus, and analyzing these states helps reveal the shape of the atomic nucleus. As a result, physicists found that the nucleus of lead-208 has a slightly oblate spheroidal shape. According to the researchers, this discovery challenges previous findings in nuclear physics.

This unexpected revelation has puzzled scientists, as they currently cannot explain why the atomic nucleus of lead-208, contrary to assumptions, is not a perfect sphere but instead takes on an oblate spheroid form. Physicists believe that there are more unknown processes occurring within atomic nuclei than previously thought, and there is a need to focus all efforts on uncovering their secrets.