Element 112 discovery controversy addressed by IUPAC/IUPAP
"Element 112, The Marinov Affair": A Documentary Film
Since 1971 and over a period of 40 years, Amnon Marinov carried out his independent super-heavy elements (SHE) study together with a group of close collaborators. Their research persisted in the face of widely accepted methodologies. Although being controversial and having to address intense opposition, Amnon Marinov continued to claim that he has come close to the Island of Stability. To date he is the sole scientist to have claimed so.
The documentary film "Element 112" exposes the search for SHE in a popular-science style. It explains the background, triggered mainly by Seaborg's Island of Stability theory. It also presents the mainstream approach, using powerful particle accelerators, as carried out throughout the last decades by the large laboratories, mainly at Berkeley, Dubna and GSI.
Apart and not to be confused with the scientific oppostion, it is unfortunate that the community is not driven only by pure scientifc interests, as quoted by former IUPAP president, the late Prof. Allan Bromley.
The film provides a rare opportunity to reveal a fragment of a powerful scientific community's conduct, which is usually hidden from public sight.
This is a story of courage and determination of a handful of scientists, who pursued their research for over 40 years, questioning accepted norms. Some believe that they have established the foundations of A New Nuclear Physics, yet to be discovered.
Appearing in the film
Prof. Reinhard Brandt, Prof. Stelian Gelberg, Prof. Walter Greiner, Dr. Yoav Kashiv,
Prof. Dietmer Kolb, Prof. Raymond Moreh, Prof. Yuri Oganessian, Prof. Dan Shechtman and Prof. Jess Weil.
