Catenaa, Sunday, November 02, 2025- Physicists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have devised a new tabletop method that allows scientists to observe the interior of atoms in real time, offering unprecedented insights into nuclear interactions.
The approach uses a radium monofluoride molecule in which electrons are confined near the atomic nucleus, temporarily passing through it and carrying energy shifts that reveal otherwise hidden nuclear properties.
The team, led by physicist Ronald Fernando Garcia Ruiz, cooled the molecules to extremely low temperatures, increasing the likelihood of electron-nucleus interactions.
Measurements of electron energy variations provide a cost-effective alternative to large particle accelerators for studying atomic behavior under extreme densities, comparable to conditions shortly after the Big Bang.
Radium’s pear-shaped nucleus proved especially effective at detecting symmetry violations, which could help explain why the universe contains more matter than antimatter.
Researchers plan to refine control over the molecules to create precise nuclear maps and expand their understanding of fundamental physics.
The tabletop method could also enhance studies of materials and atomic structure, enabling laboratories to explore high-energy nuclear phenomena without relying on large-scale accelerator facilities.
MIT’s approach transforms molecules into “mini colliders,” capturing previously inaccessible data on electron interactions with nuclear matter.
This breakthrough opens a new avenue for exploring the origins of matter, testing theoretical physics models, and investigating phenomena that have traditionally required vast, expensive experimental setups.
It marks a significant step forward in atomic-scale observation and offers researchers a practical tool for probing the forces shaping the universe.
MIT scientists have developed a tabletop technique using radium monofluoride molecules to observe atomic nuclei in real time, revealing hidden nuclear interactions and matter-antimatter asymmetry.
