Atoms in a lab or fuel in a craft?

Introduction

One of the most discussed parts of the Bob Lazar story is the claim that a recovered craft used a stable form of Element 115 as fuel. Supporters often point out that element 115 was later discovered and officially named moscovium, arguing that this validates Lazar’s account. The stronger test, however, is not whether element 115 exists. Nuclear scientists already expected undiscovered heavy elements beyond uranium. The real question is whether the actual moscovium produced in laboratories resembles Lazar’s description of a usable stockpile that could power advanced propulsion systems.

Publicly known moscovium and Lazar’s alleged Element 115 differ in a crucial way. Modern laboratories create only tiny numbers of atoms under specialised accelerator conditions. Those atoms decay almost immediately. Lazar’s account, by contrast, requires a stable, handleable material that could be stored, transported and used as reactor fuel. The gap between those two scenarios is the central credibility issue. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory]llnl.govLawrence Livermore National LaboratoryLivermore Scientists Team With Russia To Discover…The experiments produced four atoms each of el…

How moscovium was publicly made

The element now called moscovium was first synthesised by a collaboration involving the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna, Russia, and scientists from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the United States. Researchers bombarded americium-243 targets with calcium-48 ions, producing a handful of atoms of element 115. The discovery was identified through characteristic decay chains rather than through the recovery of visible quantities of material. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory]llnl.govLawrence Livermore National LaboratoryLivermore Scientists Team With Russia To Discover…The experiments produced four atoms each of el… [Seaborg Institute]seaborg.llnl.govSeaborg Institute Superheavy Element Discovery | Glenn TSeaborg InstituteIn 2003, the team of scientists observed atomic decay patterns that confirmed the existence of element 115 (moscovium) a…

This production method matters because it demonstrates how difficult superheavy-element research actually is. Scientists did not isolate grams of moscovium. They created a few atoms at a time and inferred their existence from the particles emitted as those atoms rapidly decayed into lighter elements. Lawrence Livermore’s description of the original experiments notes that only four atoms of element 115 were produced in the reported runs. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory]llnl.govLawrence Livermore National LaboratoryLivermore Scientists Team With Russia To Discover…The experiments produced four atoms each of el…

The later recognition and naming of moscovium by IUPAC confirmed that element 115 exists as a real entry in the periodic table. It did not demonstrate the existence of a stable isotope, nor did it show that the element can be manufactured in useful quantities. [IUPAC]iupac.organnounces the names of the elements 113 115 117 and 118IUPACElements 113, 115, 117, and 118…30 Nov 2016 — Elements 113, 115, 117, and 118 are now formally named nihonium (Nh), moscovium (Mc…

A useful comparison is the difference between detecting a rare subatomic event and mining a metal. Public moscovium research remains much closer to the former than the latter.

Why atom-by-atom production matters

Lazar’s story depends on far more than the existence of atomic number 115. It depends on the existence of enough of the material to function as fuel.

Known moscovium has never been produced in bulk. Scientific reports describe the creation of individual atoms or extremely small numbers of atoms. Even after years of experiments, the total number of observed moscovium atoms remains tiny. [Wikipedia]WikipediaOpen source on wikipedia.org.

That creates a direct conflict with the stockpile concept. A laboratory atom that vanishes almost immediately cannot be accumulated into bars, pellets, fuel rods or storage containers. Before any significant quantity could be gathered, the atoms would already have decayed.

This is why physicists generally view the key issue as isotope stability rather than the element number itself. Saying “element 115 exists” is not enough. Different isotopes of the same element can have radically different properties. Lazar has argued that the version he encountered was a different, stable isotope. Critics respond that no evidence for such an isotope has ever emerged in public nuclear physics research. [Wikipedia]WikipediaBob LazarBob Lazar

The island of stability argument

Supporters of Lazar often point to the theoretical concept known as the “island of stability”. This is a long-discussed idea in nuclear physics suggesting that some superheavy nuclei could prove significantly longer-lived than neighbouring isotopes if they possess favourable numbers of protons and neutrons. [Royal Society of Chemistry]rsc.orgRoyal Society of ChemistryHave we reached the shores of the island of stability?Islands of stability are groups of super heavy elements w…

Importantly, the island of stability is a real scientific hypothesis. Physicists did not invent it to explain Lazar’s claims. Researchers have been investigating the possibility for decades because nuclear shell models suggest that certain combinations of nucleons might be unusually stable. [Royal Society of Chemistry]rsc.orgRoyal Society of ChemistryHave we reached the shores of the island of stability?Islands of stability are groups of super heavy elements w…

However, the existence of the theory does not establish Lazar’s specific story.

Several distinctions matter:

• The island of stability remains a prediction about particular isotopes, not a demonstration that a stable isotope of element 115 exists.
• Even optimistic discussions often involve half-lives of minutes, hours or longer than neighbouring isotopes, not necessarily geological permanence or industrial practicality.
• No publicly confirmed isotope of moscovium has displayed the kind of stability required by Lazar’s propulsion narrative. [Royal Society of Chemistry]rsc.orgRoyal Society of ChemistryHave we reached the shores of the island of stability?Islands of stability are groups of super heavy elements w… [Wikipedia In other words]WikipediaOpen source on wikipedia.org., the theory keeps open the possibility that unknown isotopes could behave differently from today’s known ones. It does not provide evidence that such isotopes have actually been found, produced, stockpiled or used.

What evidence a real stockpile would need

The stockpile claim is where the discussion moves from theoretical physics to evidence.

A functioning reserve of Element 115 would leave traces very different from those associated with a few short-lived laboratory atoms. Evidence that would substantially strengthen the claim would include:

None of that has entered the public record.

The absence of a sample is especially important because Lazar’s account has often been discussed as though the later discovery of moscovium somehow replaced the need for physical evidence. In practice, the discovery did not verify possession of a stable isotope any more than discovering a new mineral would prove someone possessed tonnes of it decades earlier.

A recurring claim among supporters is that Lazar described a stockpile of Element 115 held by the government, sometimes portrayed as hundreds of pounds of material. Yet no verifiable documentation, laboratory analysis or recovered specimen has emerged to support the existence of such a reserve. [sci.news]sci.newsOne claim was Lazar said the military had 500lbs of element 115.Read moreBreaking Science NewsUnunpentium: Scientists Confirm Existence of Element 11528 Aug 2013 — 2: Bob Lazar has not produced a thesis or degr…: Breaking Science News

The credibility question: atom or stockpile?

The strongest version of the pro-Lazar argument is that he referred to element 115 years before the public synthesis of moscovium. Supporters regard that as a notable coincidence at minimum, and potentially evidence of insider knowledge. Critics counter that the periodic table already contained predicted slots for undiscovered elements, making the existence of an eventual element 115 unsurprising to physicists. [Wikipedia]WikipediaOpen source on wikipedia.org.

The deeper credibility test is therefore not whether moscovium exists but whether public science has moved closer to Lazar’s description of a usable fuel.

So far, the answer is largely no.

Public research has confirmed:

Public research has not confirmed:

That does not prove a secret programme is impossible. It does mean that the scientific record currently supports only the existence of fleeting laboratory atoms, not the existence of the durable stockpile required by Lazar’s account.

The contrast is stark: modern physics has demonstrated atoms in a detector, while Lazar’s story requires fuel in a craft. Until evidence appears for the latter, the discovery of moscovium remains a partial overlap with his narrative rather than a verification of its most extraordinary claims.

Amazon book picks

Further Reading

Books and field guides related to Atoms in a lab or fuel in a craft?. Use these as the next step if you want deeper reading beyond the article.

Book

Dreamland

By Bob Lazar

Discusses the alleged Element 115 fuel and related assertions.

See on Amazon

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The elements

By Unknown author

Helps readers understand the practical realities of chemical elements and materials.

See on Amazon

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Area 51

By Annie Jacobsen

Provides background for alleged secret technology programs.

See on Amazon

Book

Periodic Tales

By Hugh Aldersey-Williams

Gives wider context about elements and scientific discovery.

See on Amazon

Browse more on Amazon: Dreamland The elements Area 51

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Endnotes

1. Source: Wikipedia
   Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscovium

2. Source: iupac.org
   Title: announces the names of the elements 113 115 117 and 118
   Link: https://iupac.org/iupac-announces-the-names-of-the-elements-113-115-117-and-118/
   Source snippet

   IUPACElements 113, 115, 117, and 118...30 Nov 2016 — Elements 113, 115, 117, and 118 are now formally named nihonium (Nh), moscovium (Mc...

3. Source: Wikipedia
   Title: [Bob Lazar]({{ ‘did-bob-lazars-story-hold-up/’ | relative_url }})
   Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Lazar

4. Source: sci.news
   Title: One claim was Lazar said the military had 500lbs of element 115.Read more
   Link: https://www.sci.news/physics/science-ununpentium-element-115-01340.html
   Source snippet

   Breaking Science NewsUnunpentium: Scientists Confirm Existence of Element 11528 Aug 2013 — 2: Bob Lazar has not produced a thesis or degr...

5. Source: llnl.gov
   Link: https://www.llnl.gov/article/29621/livermore-scientists-team-russia-discover-elements-113-and-115
   Source snippet

   Lawrence Livermore National LaboratoryLivermore Scientists Team With Russia To Discover...The experiments produced four atoms each of el...

6. Source: pls.llnl.gov
   Link: https://pls.llnl.gov/research-and-development/livermorium/elements-113-and-115
   Source snippet

   Physical and Life Sciences DirectorateDiscovery of Elements 113 and 115Two isotopes of element 115 survived 30-80 milliseconds before dec...

7. Source: seaborg.llnl.gov
   Title: Seaborg Institute Superheavy Element Discovery | Glenn T
   Link: https://seaborg.llnl.gov/research/superheavy-element-discovery
   Source snippet

   Seaborg InstituteIn 2003, the team of scientists observed atomic decay patterns that confirmed the existence of element 115 (moscovium) a...

8. Source: pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
   Title: Pub Chem Moscovium | Mc (Element)
   Link: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/element/Moscovium
   Source snippet

   PubChemMoscovium | Mc (Element) - PubChem - NIHMoscovium's most stable isotope, moscovium-289, has a half-life of about 220 milliseconds...

9. Source: rsc.org
   Link: https://www.rsc.org/news/2017/january/have-we-reached-the-shores-of-the-island-of-stability
   Source snippet

   Royal Society of ChemistryHave we reached the shores of the island of stability?Islands of stability are groups of super heavy elements w...

10. Source: azom.com
    Link: https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=7958
    Source snippet

    Moscovium - Discovery, Properties and Applications13 Jan 2023 — Mc is the longest-lived isotope with a half-life of 650 microseconds...

11. Source: periodic-table.rsc.org
    Link: https://periodic-table.rsc.org/element/115/moscovium
    Source snippet

    Element information, properties and usesDiscovery date, 2010. Discovered by, Scientists from the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in...

12. Source: villanovachemistry.wordpress.com
    Link: https://villanovachemistry.wordpress.com/moscovium/
    Source snippet

    It has four isotopes, in which the isotope with 290 atomic mass is the most stable form, has 0.8s half-life.Read more...

13. Source: chemistryworld.com
    Link: https://www.chemistryworld.com/podcasts/moscovium/3008637.article
    Source snippet

    Moscovium | Podcast12 Feb 2018 — The first is by a direct collision: bombarding americium with calcium to produce something with a half-l...

14. Source: ebsco.com
    Link: https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/chemistry/moscovium-mc
    Source snippet

    Moscovium (Mc) | Chemistry | Research StartersIts most stable isotope, moscovium-289, has a very short half-life of about 220 millisecond...

15. Source: wordorigins.org
    Link: https://www.wordorigins.org/big-list-entries/moscovium
    Source snippet

    Mar 1, 2024 — Element 115 was first synthesized in 2003 at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) in Dubna, Russia. But in 2016...

Additional References

1. Source: envisioning.com
   Link: https://www.envisioning.com/research/xenotech/element-115-power-system
   Source snippet

   Element 115 Power Source | XenotechAccording to Lazar's account, Element 115 serves as the central power source through a multi-stage pro...

2. Source: science.howstuffworks.com
   Link: https://science.howstuffworks.com/space/aliens-ufos/bob-lazar.htm
   Source snippet

   Lazar, UFO HoaxsterHowever — just like how gold has 37 different isotopes and only one isotope is stable — 115 is suspected to have MOSTL...

3. Source: science.howstuffworks.com
   Link: https://science.howstuffworks.com/space/aliens-ufos/element-115.htm
   Source snippet

   HowStuffWorksDoes the Real Element 115 Have a Connection With UFOs?According to Live Science, element 115 has four isotopes. The most sta...

4. Source: lawrencetheband.com
   Link: https://lawrencetheband.com/
   Source snippet

   Lawrence the BandOfficial website of Lawrence the Band. Lawrence is from New York City, and play mostly soul-pop music with some hints of...

5. Source: medium.com
   Link: https://medium.com/%40mattygh01/simulating-element-115-pulses-in-the-dual-sheet-model-an-in-depth-educational-exploration-7969516d94cf
   Source snippet

   Simulating Element 115 Pulses in the Dual Sheet ModelAs of 2025, ongoing research has tightened our knowledge of its isotopes, with Mc-29...

6. Source: newscenter.lbl.gov
   Title: fiona measures mass number 2 superheavy elements moscovium nihonium
   Link: https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2018/11/28/fiona-measures-mass-number-2-superheavy-elements-moscovium-nihonium/
   Source snippet

   Measures the Mass Number of Moscovium and Nihonium28 Nov 2018 — A Berkeley Lab-led team has directly measured, for the first time, mass n...

7. Source: ornl.gov
   Title: provisional names announced superheavy elements 113 115 117 and 118
   Link: https://www.ornl.gov/news/provisional-names-announced-superheavy-elements-113-115-117-and-118
   Source snippet

   Provisional names announced for superheavy elements...8 Jun 2016 — The provisional names for 115, 117 and 118 -- originally proposed by...

8. Source: physics.stackexchange.com
   Title: can moscovium 299 exist and is it possible to predict how stable it will be
   Link: https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/769462/can-moscovium-299-exist-and-is-it-possible-to-predict-how-stable-it-will-be
   Source snippet

   This question is off-topic. It is not currently accepting answers. We deal with mainstream physics here. Questions about the...

9. Source: reddit.com
   Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/ufo/comments/c3xcm5/are_we_really_supposed_to_believe_that_bob_lazar/
   Source snippet

   If Bob Lazar were telling the truth and wanted to convince the world, he could do it in one sentence...

10. Source: study.com
    Link: https://study.com/learn/lesson/moscovium-element-115-uses.html
    Source snippet

    The probable melting and boiling point of moscovium are likely to be 670 K and 1400 K...Read more...