discovery of neptunium

Neptunium was discovered in 1940 by scientists Edwin McMillan and Philip H. Abelson at the University of California, Berkeley. They created it by bombarding uranium with neutrons in a nuclear reactor, leading to a new element with atomic number 93. Named after the planet Neptune, neptunium is a radioactive metal that has no stable isotopes. Its discovery was significant in the study of nuclear physics and contributed to our understanding of the actinide series of elements. Neptunium's properties and potential applications have been explored, particularly in nuclear energy and research.