Livermorium Day Scheduled At Livermorium Plaza

LIVERMORE, CA — Livermore is one of only six cities in the world to have a chemical element named after it, and next Monday, it will celebrate that rarefied honor.

On May 30, 2012, an extremely radioactive element was christened Livermorium to honor the fact that it was discovered in the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Researchers at the lab worked with scientists at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Russia from 2000 to 2006 to find the super-heavy element.

Exactly one year later, Livermore Mayor John Marchand proclaimed May 30 as Livermorium Day to recognize the discovery of the element. This year, the 10th annual Livermorium Day will take place in the aptly named Livermorium Plaza, a new development at Mills Square Park featuring a water ball fountain designed to represent the nucleus of the Livermore atom, and 116 “electrons” represented by a mix of lights, markers and tree wells. The number 116 pays homage to the element’s atomic number.

This year’s celebration will take place on Tuesday, May 30 from 4 to 5 p.m. at 116 South Livermore Avenue.