curium
/ˈkjʊriəm/
noun
- A radioactive chemical element with the symbol Cm and atomic number 96, produced artificially and used in scientific research and as a power source.
- Curium is used in some space probes as a source of heat and electricity.
- Scientists created curium by bombarding plutonium with helium ions.
- The lab handled curium with special shielding because of its strong radioactivity.