Berkelium-248 is a synthetic radioactive isotope of the element Berkelium, which has the atomic number 97. It was first produced in 1949 by scientists at the University of California, Berkeley. This isotope has a half-life of about 24.5 hours, meaning it takes that long for half of a sample to decay into other elements. Berkelium-248 is primarily used in scientific research, particularly in studies related to nuclear chemistry and the behavior of heavy elements. Due to its short half-life, it is not found in nature and must be created in a laboratory setting, typically through the bombardment of Californium-249 with neutrons.