 Seaborg 's theoretical development of the actinide concept resulted in a redrawing of the Periodic Table of the Elements into its current configuration with the actinide series appearing below the lanthanide series . Seaborg developed the chemical elements americium and curium while in Chicago . He managed to secure patents for both elements . His patent on curium never proved commercially viable because of the element 's short half @-@ life , but americium is commonly used in household smoke detectors and thus provided a good source of royalty income to Seaborg in later years . Prior to the test of the first nuclear weapon , Seaborg joined with several other leading scientists in a written statement known as the Franck Report ( secret at the time but since published ) unsuccessfully calling on President Truman to conduct a public demonstration of the atomic bomb witnessed by the Japanese . 
