Many stable atoms have ‘magic numbers’ of protons and neutrons − 75 years ago two physicists discovered their special properties

The word magic is not often used in the context of science. But in the early 1930s, scientists discovered that some atomic nuclei - the central part of atoms, which make up all matter - were more stable than others. These nuclei had specific numbers of protons or neutrons, or magic numbers, as physicist Eugene Wigner called them.

The race to find out what made these nuclei so stable began. Understanding these magic numbers can help scientists predict the properties of other nuclei, such as their mass or how long they are expected to live. This also allows scientists to ...