In chemistry, the
chemical elements labeled as synthetic are too unstable to be found naturally on
Earth. These synthetic elements possess
half-life so short, relative to the age of the Earth that any
atoms of these elements that may have existed when the Earth formed have long since decayed away. Because of this, atoms of synthetic elements are only present on Earth as the product of experiments involving
nuclear reactors or
particle accelerators via
nuclear fusion.
Uranium and
thorium have no stable isotopes, but are found naturally in the Earth's crust and atmosphere, so neither of these two elements is called synthetic.
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