Breakthrough: X ray Laser Captures Atoms and Molecules in Action

The Linac Coherent Light Source at SLAC is the world s most powerful Xray laser. Just two years after turning on in 2009, breakthrough science is emerging from the LCLS at a rapid pace. A recent experiment used the Xrays to create and probe a 2milliondegree piece of matter in a controlled way for the first timea significant leap toward understanding the extreme conditions found in the hearts of stars and giant planets, and a finding which could further guide research into nuclear fusion, the mechanism