کالیفرنیم

Californium was discovered by Stanley G. Thompson, Kenneth Street, Jr., Albert Ghiorso and Glenn T. Seaborg in 1950 at the University of California, Berkeley.

It was produced by the bombardment of curium with alpha particles.

Californium was isolated in macro quantities for the first time by Burris Cunningham and Stanley Thompson in 1958.

Californium is used as a portable neutron source for discovery of metals such as gold or silver by on-the-spot activation analysis.

Neutrons from californium are employed as a treatment of certain cervical and brain cancers where other radiation therapy is ineffective.

Neutron moisture gauges use californium-252 to find water and petroleum layers in oil wells.