hungry nuclei grab neutrons

An example of anthropomorphism in popular science writing:

"Neutron capture was happening at a rate never seen before on Earth. Hungry nuclei were grabbing neutrons and remaining stable, forming isotopes as rich in as uranium-255, 17 neutrons more than its most common variant, then beta-decaying into elements usually only present in merging neutron stars."

Chapman, K. (2019). Superheavy. Making and breaking the periodic table. Bloomsbury Sigma.

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Author: Keith

Former school and college science teacher, teacher educator, research supervisor, and research methods lecturer. Emeritus Professor of Science Education at the University of Cambridge.