Science at NSCL

The primary goal of our scientific endeavor is to unravel the mysteries that reside at the center of atoms, in atomic nuclei. Atomic nuclei are ten thousand times smaller than the atom they reside in, but they contain nearly all the atom's mass (more than 99.9 percent).
Much has been learned during the last century about the stable atomic nuclei that can be found on earth. But many more unstable atomic nuclei exist in the universe, sometimes only for a fleeting moment inside the cosmic cauldrons in which the elements continue to be made.
Scientists at NSCL work at the forefront of rare isotope research. They make and study atomic nuclei that cannot be found on Earth where they have long decayed into the known, stable or long-lived isotopes.
Answers to even relatively simple questions are unknown and cannot be predicted for many rare isotopes:

• Exactly which ones can exist and for how long?
• How much do they weigh?
• What shapes do they have?

The pursuit of these answers, interesting in their own right, will also help probe even deeper mysteries:

• What is the origin of the elements in the universe and on Earth?
• How do stars shine and evolve?
• And how do they die?

The science performed at NSCL is fundamental. It enhances our understanding of nature. Its results will be beneficial to society by laying the foundation for new medical treatments, new methods to research materials, and new methods to study chemical reactions.