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The fullerenes are the third major allotrope of carbon. Fullerenes are large, spherical molecules, with a general formula of C_n, where n is generally greater than 60. The fullerenes (also known as "buckyballs") were discovered by the american engineer F. Buckminster Fuller. There has recently been a major research interest in the fullerenes and the possibility of using them in the treatment of a wide variety of diseases. The most widely recognised fullerine is the C₆₀ form, which is comprised of 20 hexagonal faces and 12 pentagonal ones, which gives it the same shape as a football :-