NUCLEAR POINT-GROUP SYMMETRIES AND NEW IDEAS ABOUT NUCLEAR STABILITY:: AN OVERVIEW.

The nuclear mean-field theory and the group representation theory can be used to optimise the search for strong nuclear shell effects. The two theories allow to correlate the symmetry aspects with the presence of large gaps in the single-particle spectra, facilitate in this way the conditions of search for strong nucleonic- and nuclear-binding and thus for an increased nuclear stability. In this article we give a short overview of the related on-going research, focussing on the results of the TetraNuc Collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]