Resumo
The Periodic Table of Mendeleev, initially proposed on the basis of 66 elements, and containing 82 elements at the time of Moseley (1887−1915), describes nowadays 118 elements. The huge challenge of this scientific adventure was, and still is, the development of technologies and methods capable of producing elements of atomic number Z > 103, known as superheavy elements (SHE), or transactinides. This paper presents a survey of experiments and theoretical approaches that led physicists and chemists of today to discover and characterize a number of SHE isotopes. A glance is also given to the feasibility studies performed by scientists aiming to going beyond Z = 118, building-up further neutron-rich nuclides and reaching the ultimate goal of creating long-living new elements at the edge of the Table.
