X-rays reveal the breaking of nature's strongest bond.

Scientists have used X-ray flashes to reveal how carbon-hydrogen bonds of alkanes break and how the catalyst works in this reaction. The research solves a 40-year-old mystery about how an activated catalyst can actually break strong C-H bonds by carefully exchanging fractions of electrons and without the need for huge temperatures or pressures. The researchers next want to learn how to direct the flow of electrons to help develop better catalysts for the chemical industry in order to make something useful out of methane and other alkanes.