Some of nature’s most important chemical reactions rely on the coupled movement of negatively and positively charged particles. These processes play central roles in photosynthesis, catalysis and biological energy conversion yet remain difficult to observe.

Now, a research team led by the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, in collaboration with colleagues at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and several academic labs, has captured snapshots of these events triggered when light strikes a molecule.

The findings, published in Nature Communications, could help researchers better understand and ultimately design better flow batteries, fuel cells and catalysts.