SMRTR Science & EngineeringAug 10, 2026Interesting Engineering

US scientists document ultrafast motion of electrons that drive making, breaking of chemical bonds

SMRTR summary

Scientists used a powerful X-ray laser to film, frame-by-frame, how electrons move during chemical reactions, capturing events lasting just femtoseconds. They observed electrons jumping and "holes" migrating through molecules, driven by quantum effects, revealing the electronic steps that trigger bond-breaking, including processes linked to radiation damage in DNA.

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