Talk:Synthetic element

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what are some uses and dangers of syntehetic elements?

I haven't been able to find a good answer for this anywhere else on here, but why do scientists continue to try to synthesize new, heavier elements? Seems like a lot of nonproductive effort since they all seem to disintegrate immediately after forming. Even if they stumbled upon a stable isotope and produced enough of it to see with the naked eye, chances are it wouldn't be anything special, just another element. What's wrong with the elements we have already? --72.85.16.46 02:36, 25 August 2006 (UTC)

I KNOW!!!!! i never got why scienitsts want to make another element. they have no biological role, can possibly kill.....etc...seriously, is this where the money goes?Angelofdeath275 21:20, 16 October 2006 (UTC)

Carl Sagan's The Demon-Haunted World has a number of arguments for "pure research" nicely summarized for consumption. Among them is that the value of pure research, as opposed to industry research (which would include stuff with easily marketable & understood ends, like faster computers or GMOs) is in discovering completely new things. Without, for instance, research into what makes cells reproduce, the whole GMO gig would never have happened. Without curiosity as to what exactly those sparks are, we wouldn't have electricity. --mordicai. 00:41, 17 October 2006 (UTC)