Fermium

Fermium is a synthetic, radioactive metal first identified in 1952 in debris from the Ivy Mike hydrogen-bomb test, where intense neutron bombardment of uranium produced it. Today, it is made in tiny amounts by irradiating lighter actinides with neutrons in a nuclear reactor. Because its isotopes decay quickly and only minute quantities can be obtained, fermium has no uses outside basic scientific research; studying it helps scientists understand the chemistry and nuclear properties of the heaviest elements.