Scientists have captured the first detailed movie of how a light-sensitive molecule flips its shape. The breakthrough could help design better light-driven materials and tiny molecular machines.

The study focused on azobenzene, a molecule that changes shape when it absorbs light. Researchers from KAIST and the Institute for Basic Science in South Korea used ultrafast X-rays to watch the process in real time.

Co-first authors Dr Jungmin Kim and Dr Hosung Ki used a method called X-ray liquidography. It revealed the exact pathway the molecule follows as it moves, something never observed before.

“This study shows the pathway by which azobenzene changes its shape after it absorbs light,” said researcher Ihee. He added that the work should help scientists understand many similar light-responsive molecules.

The study did not directly improve any drug or material. Its value lies in the basic data it provides for future designs. The findings were published in the journal Nature in 2026.