How do scientists detect new elements (such as element-118) if they only last milliseconds before disintegrating?

Nuclear scientists continue to expand the periodic table as they detect new elements. These novel elements, such as the recently discovered 118, pose a challenge to researchers because they are so fleeting.

When a heavy element disintegrates, or decays, it gives off a radiation signature that can be used to prove that it existed. The three main types of radiation emitted are alpha particles (which are essentially helium nuclei), beta particles (including electrons and the electron anti-particles called positrons) and gamma rays (which are high-energy photons). Radiation given off by an element's decay is unique and some of the decays produce alpha particles of distinct energy. As a rule of thumb, the heavier the atom and the higher the atomic number--the number of protons in the nucleus--the more energetic the alpha particle given off by its decay will be. For example, the isotope radium 226 (one of the lightest alpha emitters, with atomic number 88) emits an alpha particle of 4.78 million electron volts (MeV), whereas element-110 emits an alpha particle with about 11 MeV. Scientists create heavy elements by bombarding two lighter elements that together add up to the mass of the desired new element. One of the elements is stationary and thus called the target. The other, called the projectile, is accelerated in a cyclotron or other type of particle accelerator and effectively shot into the first element. A tiny fraction of the time the two elements “stick” together and form the new element, which then quickly decays. Sometimes it takes millions of collisions and several weeks of bombardment to create one atom of the new element. Specially positioned particle detectors interfaced to elaborate computer systems record the decays for later analysis.

In addition to using the unique energies of the alpha particles emitted to identify new elements, heavy-element hunters also use a cascade of alpha emissions to confirm their existence. Each alpha decay lowers the atomic number by two. For example, evidence for element-114 consisted of a chain of alpha particles that were all detected at the same location in the detector within a given time range. They signaled the decay of element-114 289 (the isotope with 114 protons and 175 neutrons, giving it a mass number of 289) first to element-112 (mass number 285), then element-110 (mass number 281) and finally element-108 with a mass number of 277. Putting all of this information together is tricky business, but it can serve as convincing evidence that an element that no longer exists was, in fact, created.

How do hairs like those on the chest or in the nose know to grow when you trim them?

Clipping hairs on the skin surface does not actually have any effect on the growth of hair, because the hair above the surface is technically dead. The hair visible on our bodies grows out of living hair follicles within the skin. These fairly complicated "miniorgans" are made up of more than 10 different cell types geared toward generating the hair fiber that reaches the surface of the skin. More than five million hair follicles populate the entire body; one million of those cover the head, with 100,000 to 150,000 residing on the scalp.
All hair follicles go through the "hair follicle cycle," which is made up of three stages: growth, degeneration and rest--called anagen, catagen and telogen, respectively. During anagen, the rapid proliferation of cells located at the follicle's base, or bulb, results in the constant production of hair fiber through the follicle's developing shaft. At the end of anagen, the hair-producing cells begin to die, entering into the catagen stage. After regressing for a couple of weeks, the bulb rests for several weeks to months in telogen. The new lower hair follicle then regenerates from stem cells in the telogen follicle and anagen begins anew. The old hair fiber then falls out--often while you are brushing your hair--as a new strand pushes it out the top of the follicle. Hair follicles on different parts of the body produce hairs of different lengths by staying in anagen for varying periods of time. Scalp follicles remain in anagen for many years and can produce hair fibers over one meter in length. Hair follicles on the body, which generate shorter hairs, are in anagen for only a matter of weeks or months. The hairs that appear to "know" to grow back after being trimmed just happen to be in anagen when you cut them.
Drastic changes take place in the length of the growing stage when follicles are under the influence of testosterone. In men, during puberty, as testosterone levels increase, small hairs on the face, underarms, chest, legs, arms and pubic area turn into large hairs that remain in anagen for longer periods. (Since women don't make much testosterone, the hormone doesn't have as much of an effect on their hair follicles.) To the consternation of most men, later in life, follicles in the nose and ear become sensitive to testosterone and also enlarge, thus yielding large hairs. Paradoxically, hair follicles on the scalp of genetically predisposed men respond in the opposite manner: they miniaturize and spend less time in anagen, which leads to baldness.

Where's Universe expanding to ?

The evolution of the universe is described by the physics of general relativity, which was discovered by Albert Einstein in the early 20th century. When compared to Newtonian physics, this theory provides a radically different framework for the physical description of the gravitational force.
In the Newtonian interpretation (where celestial bodies move according to the laws of Newton), space and time are absolute, with time no more than a parameter in the equations of motion. Meanwhile, gravity plays the role of a mysterious force of attraction between massive bodies. The physics of general relativity is conceptually distinct--even if its equations of motion can be reduced to Newtonian equations in many practical cases, such as with respect to the motion of the moon, or, as we will see shortly, the overall evolution of the universe. In general relativity, space and time are merged into one four-dimensional grid, whose properties are uniquely specified (via gravity) by the bodies inhabiting them.
Gravity curves the spacetime grid, so general relativity thus describes gravitational interactions as manifestations of the spacetime curvature. Objects "fall under gravity" from less curved parts of spacetime to more curved parts of the spacetime. (When spacetime becomes infinitely curved, as in the case of black holes, the gravitational force is so strong that spacetime closes on itself, creating what is called a singularity in the fabric of the underlying spacetime continuum. Nothing can escape such objects.) According to Einstein's general relativity equations, the spacetime containing matter cannot remain stationary and must either expand or contract.
Galaxies and other sources, then, are not strictly expanding away from each other but rather are attached to the fixed grid on the expanding fabric of spacetime. Thus, the galaxies give us the impression of moving away from each other. Imagine the surface of a balloon, on which you put dots. Then start inflating the balloon. The distances between the dots will increase, so if you live in one of these dots, you will interpret this as the dots--which represent galaxies in this example--moving away from each other. In reality, of course, they remain in the same positions, with respect to latitudes and longitudes on the balloon, and it is the fabric of the balloon that is actually expanding.
In Newtonian physics, one can construct a mathematical analogy to the expansion of the universe by defining a system that is expanding or contracting under its own gravity, such as a galaxy made of stars or the solar system. In this framework, however, this expansion is not linked to stretching the fabric of any spacetime. Instead, space is some abstract absolute and fixed entity that all objects move through without affecting it. Thus one can ask not only "Where is the universe expanding to?" in the Newtonian framework, but also "What happened before the initial push?"
In the framework of general relativity, however, both of these questions become meaningless. Asking the question, "Where is the universe expanding to?" implies some other coordinate grid outside spacetime. But since spacetime is linked to matter, there is no outside to the surface of the balloon. Rather, it is all the spacetime that is available.

Does really Science annihilate Religion?

How many times it's been said "yes, Science is the opposite of religion, it explains rationally what religion claims to be explained only through Faith" .. And ain't that true?

But it's not a negative thing, and these two ways of looking at life don't require to be in opposition.
I'm a firm Science believer - guess it's clear, don't you? - anyways I believe in a superior being, too. But it's damn sure I cannot believe that Earth has been created in 6 days, that Sun turns around Earth, and that a Comet has been sent to guide three eastern kings to Bethlehem!
My opinion is only a little word; so, I want to quote one of the biggest Scientist ever, Albert Einstein.
At the question "do you believe in God", he stated:

"I can't answer with a simple yes or no. I'm not an atheist and I don't think I can call myself a pantheist. We are in the position of a little child entering a huge library filled with books in many different languages. The child knows someone must have written those books. It does not know how. The child dimly suspects a mysterious order in the arrangement of the books but doesn't know what it is. That, it seems to me, is the attitude of even the most intelligent human being toward God. We see a universe marvelously arranged and obeying certain laws, but only dimly understand these laws. Our limited minds cannot grasp the mysterious force that moves the constellations. I am fascinated by Spinoza's pantheism, but admire even more his contributions to modern thought because he is the first philosopher to deal with the soul and the body as one, not two separate things."

I smile when he says "our limited minds"...

I would love to read your comments to this quote.