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Today in History: Plutonium Chemically Identified by Glenn T. Seaborg

2/23/2026

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Summary

Story summary

On February 23, 1941, chemist Glenn T. Seaborg and his team at the University of California, Berkeley, first chemically identified plutonium, a radioactive element crucial for nuclear energy and weapons. This discovery contributed to Seaborg's Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1951 and advanced the understanding of transuranium elements in the periodic table.

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Story summary

On February 23, 1941, chemist Glenn T. Seaborg and his team at the University of California, Berkeley, first chemically identified plutonium, a radioactive element crucial for nuclear energy and weapons. This discovery contributed to Seaborg's Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1951 and advanced the understanding of transuranium elements in the periodic table.