The element 112 was discovered 13 years ago by an international team of scientists led by Sigurd Hofmann at the Institue for Heavy Ion Research in Darmstadt, Germany.
As per the nomenclature adopted by the internationla union of pure and applied chemistry(IUPAC), the element was given the tentative name ‘ununbium’. Recently IUPAC has officially recognised the discovery and recognised the new element as a member of the periodic table.
Discoveries of element 112 have named the new element ‘copernicium’ after the 16th centure Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus, who is remembered for his revolutionary thory of Sun-centred universe. The symbol ‘Cp’ has been suggested for the new element.