SMRTR Science & EngineeringFeb 12, 2026Interesting Engineering

US scientists trap plutonium atom inside tiny molecular ‘cage’ for the first time

SMRTR summary

Scientists successfully trapped a plutonium atom inside a molecular cage called a Keggin ion for the first time, using just six micrograms of the radioactive metal. The breakthrough revealed that plutonium arranges itself perpendicularly within these cages, unlike other metals that align parallel, explaining plutonium's unpredictable behavior.

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