The Importance of Closed Shell Structures in the Synthesis of Super Heavy Elements

In 1965, macroscopic models predicted that nuclei beyond Z $\approx $ 100 could not be synthesized because their fission barrier would go to zero. Then came microscopic models with shell corrections. Microscopic-macroscopic models predicted large gaps in the single-particle energy levels for protons and neutrons at Z $=$ 102, 108 and N $=$ 152, 162 for deformed shapes. The reinforcement of the Z $=$ 102, N $=$ 152 and Z $=$ 108, N $=$ 162 level gaps at the same deformations provided the stability for nuclei in these regions to be observed. Also predicted were shell gaps for spherical shapes for N $=$ 184 and Z $=$ 114, 120 or 126 forming an ``Island of Stability'' with very long half lives for fission and alpha decay. Cold fusion reactions involving beams of Ca to Zn and targets of stable $^{208}$Pb and $^{209}$Bi were pioneered at GSI and used to synthesize new elements for Z $=$ 107 to 112 and in Japan a new isotope of 113. Hot fusion reactions between radioactive actinide targets and neutron-rich $^{48}$Ca beams were pioneered in JINR leading to the synthesis of new elements with Z $=$ 113 to 118. Data showing the importance of reinforcement of the Z $=$ 102, N $=$ 152 and Z $=$ 108, N $=$ 162 single particle level gaps at the same deformation and Z $=$ 114-126, N $=$ 184 shell gaps in the synthesis of super heavy elements 107 to 118 will be presented along with the latest results on their synthesis.