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This is a collection of videos from the E. O. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, based on interviews with nuclear chemists who have discovered and studied the heaviest elements. The movies are listed below with their appropriate links. Those researchers involved with the segments about Lawrencium include Robert Silva, Torbjorn Sikkeland, Matti Nurmia, Robert Latimer, and Albert Ghiorso, all of whom are from the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. You will need QuickTime 3 in order to view them and can download a free copy from http://www.apple.com.

A Brief Note about Plutonium by Glenn Seaborg

One sentence on how Pu was a means of extending the boundary of the periodic table.
A Brief Note about Plutonium by Glenn Seaborg (20 sec)

Plutonium and Why It Was Kept a Secret

Glen Seaborg talks about the discoveries of Actinium and Plutonium and the reasons for keeping the discovery of Pu a secret.
Plutonium and Why It Was Kept a Secret (2 min)

The Prediction of the Actinide Series by Glenn Seaborg

Glenn Seaborg discusses the initial failure to chemically identify elements 95 and 96 (Americium and Curium) and later describes his prediction of the actinide series.
The Prediction of the Actinide Series by Glenn Seaborg (2 min, 19 sec)

First Chemical Separation of Lawrencium at Lawrence Radiation Laboratory in 1970

Bob Silva from the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory in Berkeley describes Glenn Seaborg's prediction of an actinide series with elements 102 and 103 (Nobelium and Lawrencium) discovered by this laboratory.
Introduction from Bob Silva (1 min, 26 sec)

The HILAC or Heavy-Ion Linear Accelerator

The HILAC is shown and described. Experimental parameters for bombardment are considered.
The HILAC or Heavy-Ion Layer Accelerator (2 min, 16 sec)

Discovery of Lawrencium

The presentation includes discussion of the discovery of Lawrencium with the heavy-ion layer accelerator or HILAC and the reaction used to produce it.
Discovery of Lawrencium (59 sec)

How To Collect Lawrencium Atoms

Bob Silva demonstrates and describes the experimental preparation for the collection of Lr atoms.
How To Collect Lawrencium Atoms (1 min, 8 sec)

A faster version of the above movie is provided for humorous effect.
How To Collect Lawrencium Atoms-Really Fast (24 sec)

The Discovery of Element 106-Finally

Nuclear chemist Darleane Hoffman speaks on the confirmation of the original discovery of element 106.
The Discovery of Element 106-Finally (38 sec)

The Naming of Element 106

A brief narration by Albert Ghiorso of the suggested name for element 106.
The Naming of Element 106 (19 sec)

The Limits of Discovering the Heavy Elements

Glenn Seaborg talks about the limitations of discovering heavy elements, and a model of nuclear fission is shown.
The Limits of Discovering the Heavy Elements (18 sec)

What Good is a Heavy Element?

Narration by Albert Ghiorso. A chromatographic separation of Californium-249 is shown, with its subsequent placement on a platinum foil for bombardment.
What Good is a Heavy Element? (55 sec)