British fans launch campaign to name new heavy metal element in memory of rock legend

Fans of British band Motorhead launched a campaign Thursday to name a newly discovered heavy metal element in memory of Ian Kilmister, a legend of hard rock and heavy metal music who died last week.

Known to his fans simply as Lemmy, Kilmister was deeply respected globally as a rock master, revered by many followers as "royalty" with a reign in the rock world going back to the 1970s.

His followers were hurtled into a spin last Monday when the rock legend died, just four days after his 70th birthday.

By Thursday night, more than 100,000 people had expressed their support for a petition to name one of four newly discovered elements, Lemmium, in memory of Kilmister.

"Lemmy was a force of nature and the very essence of heavy metal. We believe it is fitting that the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry recommend that one of the four new discovered heavy metals in the periodic table is named Lemmium," read the petition, which was launched by John Wright, a Motorhead fan from York.

The petition won backing from Ken Durose, a professor of physics at the University of Liverpool.

"The whole idea is that you name a new heavy metal after Lemmy -- he basically invented heavy metal but he always called himself rock 'n' roll -- so I think it's a terrific idea. Everyone's really amused by it in the Department of Physics at Liverpool University," said Durose, who is also a die-hard Motorhead fan.

Scientists from Russia, Japan and the United States have discovered the four new elements that currently have temporary names.

The scientists will make the first suggestions before the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry formally names the elements in the coming months.

Kilmister died in his Los Angeles home just days after he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. His death was confirmed on Motorhead's official website. Endi