Fs Crystallography (IMAGE) Arizona State University Caption This image shows a schematic picture of the principle of femtosecond nanocrystallography. The Arizona State University protein beam injector, left, ejects photosystem I nanocrystals, which are so small that they are not visible under the microscope, in a fully hydrated stream of mother liquor. The stream of crystals interacts with the LCLS free-electron laser X-ray beam, where the crystals instantly explode. The free-electron laser X-ray beam is so strong that it destroys any solid material in its focus, forming a plasma that reaches temperatures higher than the inside of the sun. However, each laser pulse is so short that diffraction can be detected from each nanocrystal before it is destroyed. The size and shape of every single nanocrsytal can be reconstructed from the shape transforms, visible on the back detector image, that make reflections look like galaxies in the universe. With a frequency of 30 images per second, millions of diffraction patterns were collected. Data evaluation of just 10,000 diffraction patterns allowed the unraveling of the structure of the protein at molecular resolution, shown in the top right of this image. Credit Petra Fromme/Arizona State University Usage Restrictions with proper credit License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.