Scientists are hunting for axions, tiny particles that could solve major physics mysteries, including why neutrons don’t have an electric dipole moment and what dark matter is made of. Using the powerful European XFEL in Hamburg, researchers fired X-rays through special crystals, hoping to witness axions converting into light—a sign of their existence. This pioneering experiment, already competitive with major particle accelerator studies, demonstrates that XFEL technology could be a game-changer in particle physics.