Fermium was first discovered in the debris from the first hydrogen bomb explosion in its isotopic, number 255, form. The isotope of fermium was created when the uranium isotope, number 238, reacted with 17 neutrons and increased temperatures and pressure during the explosion. Fermium has also been created by using the 238 uranium isotope and bombarding it with ions from oxygen; this procedure produces the isotope, number 250, of fermium. Today, fermium is synthesized by using plutonium; in this process the plutonium is bombarded with neutrons. Most of the isotopes of fermium have a half life of less than 5.4 hours; some of these isotopes have a half life of less than 3 minutes. The isolation procedures of this element have not yet been perfected due to the short half life of these isotopes. Fermium is also very radioactive, and so it must be synthesized and handled using extreme caution.
