As of 2026-09-11 · the last 10 years
Research intensity has climbed to about 82% of the element's own all-time peak, a level reached after a mid-window dip, though the all-time peak itself occurred in 1972, well before this window.
Research intensity ran from about 44% of the element's own all-time peak in 2016 to about 82% in 2026 — a mid-window dip followed by a recovery, and the all-time peak (1972) lies before this window. The dip is visible in the data around 2019, where intensity fell to its lowest point in the series before beginning its steady ascent through 2026. Among the 118 elements, livermorium has one of the smaller research literatures of any element.
The number of papers involving the element rose from about 12 in 2016 to about 21 in 2025 (1.75x). That is slower than the literature as a whole grew over the same years, so the element lost ground in the wider body of research even as its own count rose.
The research community that dominates this literature is the Synthesis and Decay of Superheavy Elements and Heavy-Ion Collision Physics. In this field, livermorium is a minor presence in a much larger community, with under 1% of its papers involving the element. However, for livermorium itself, this community accounts for 100% of its recent research, a share that has risen from 85.7% in the previous period. The work focuses on element synthesis, sequential fission, and the dynamics of superheavy synthesis reactions. A key paper in this area is "Toward the Discovery of New Elements: Production of Livermorium ( Z = 116 ) with Ti 50" (2024), cited about 54 times, which stands alongside "Colliding heavy nuclei take multiple identities on the path to fusion" (2023), cited about 25 times.
A second community, Silicon-Germanium Quantum Devices and Laser-Structured Surfaces, previously held a 14.3% share of livermorium research but has declined to 0% in the current period. Livermorium is also a minor presence here, with under 1% of the community's papers involving the element. The most cited paper from this group is "Pros and Cons of Livermorium Nanoparticles for Human Cancer Cells, Tissues and Tumors Treatment under Synchrotron Radiation Using Mathematica 12.0" (2020), cited about 31 times. A third community, Selenium Nanoparticles, Supplementation, and Biological Roles, has remained steady with a 0% share in both periods, indicating no significant recent activity in this area for livermorium.
Overall, the literature has consolidated entirely around the synthesis and decay of superheavy elements, moving away from the quantum devices and biological roles communities that held minor shares earlier in the decade.
For a deeper look at the element's current standing, see the Last 12 Months and Executive Brief reports.
What changed in the past year: new papers, shifting applications, emerging collaborators. See the momentum over a shorter window than the decade view.
Personal →See recent trends — Personal.
A by-topic status read of what changed and what's new — built for decision-makers, not search engines. Citation clusters, emerging applications, and the papers that matter most.
Professional →See the executive read — Professional.
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Showing Livermorium's three strongest connections. Personal opens the slider and the whole 118-element graph.