:: Perhaps they will find an element with a higher atomic number that IS stable, and has a useful property ::
Which will be acceptable to the consensus of scientists?
Nahhh..everything from here-on-out is “designer chemistry” driven by physicists who think they can drive the world of chemistry.
Sorry, me and my Chemistry degree find that, although mathematically possible to infinitely derive short-life isotopes/elements, we (science) have determined every ^useful^ element ending at Americium. Everything else is just...well...designer chemistry.
Chemistry is and should be...useful.
Everybody before whose said we’ve learned all there is has been wrong. It’s ALL useful, if you don’t have a closed and therefore useless mind. We just don’t know what’s hanging out further up the chart, could be the next super metal, could be a great energy source, but there’s only one way to find out, and that’s to completely ignore any whiner that thinks we shouldn’t be exploring.