European Synchrotron Radiation Facility

A team of scientists has discovered a new, stable form of plutonium – and done so by accident. The famously unstable element is tricky to transport, store and dispose of, but the find could lead to new ways to tackle those problems.

Scientists were already aware that pigments from tattoo ink can travel to the lymph nodes. Cutting edge X-ray technologies have now provided a look at what much smaller, and more toxic particles within the ink get up to, suggesting that these too can make the migration.

Scientists have determined the structure of the highly-absorbent mineral used in cat litter, and may now be able to produce a synthetic version that could be used in many other applications.

In a world first, scientists have determined the distribution of aluminum in zeolites, an important step towards understanding the versatile volcanic material used in water purification, nuclear waste removal, and the spin cycle of your washing machine.