Nobelium is a synthetic element with the symbol No and atomic number 102. It was first discovered in 1958 by a team of scientists at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California. Nobelium is part of the actinide series and is classified as a heavy metal. It is highly radioactive and has no stable isotopes, with the most stable isotope being nobelium-259. Due to its rarity and radioactivity, nobelium has limited practical applications. It is primarily used in scientific research, particularly in studies related to nuclear chemistry and the properties of heavy elements. Nobelium is named in honor of Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite and founder of the Nobel Prizes.