Laser pulses reveal the secret 'rugby ball' shape of the Universe’s heaviest atoms

A University of Gothenburg researcher used laser spectroscopy to study very short-lived heavy atoms.

The team measured tiny hyperfine shifts in neptunium and fermium, producing the first high-quality nuclear structure picture for both.

The results show that both nuclei are elongated, rugby ball-shaped rather than round.

The findings help refine nuclear physics models for heavy actinides and may improve predictions for unknown elements.