‘Molecular movie’ shows how electrons rearrange to kick-off a chemical reaction

Scientists in the US and UK are the first to observe electrons rearrange their positions in molecules during the early stages of a light-driven chemical reaction. They did so by firing ultrashort light and X-ray pulses at the molecules to create “movies” of electron motion. The technique promises to shed further light on chemical processes such as bond making and breaking. Their method could also be used to study other ultrafast processes in physics, chemistry, and biology.