Four new elements were added to the periodic table. These new elements, which currently don’t have name and go by their atomic numbers (113, 115, 117 and 118), fill up the four blank spots on the 7th period of the table. They were added on January 4.

The elements are classified as “Superheavy” elements, meaning they were created in laboratories by having particle accelerators shoot beams of nuclei at larger, heavier, nuclei. These elements only exist for a fraction of a second after they are created.

Don’t worry about having to memorize and work with these added elements, though. Our CHS Chemistry teachers assure students that since so little is currently known about the elements, that they will have very little effect on the curriculum.

So what’s next? Scientists are starting to try and create elements 119 and 120, which would begin the 8th period.