Most of the pictures that we have of molecules are static – atoms represented as balls linked together by connectors that represent chemical bonds. But molecules, especially those in biology, move when performing functions. When we bend a finger, at the micro level there are little motor proteins taking tiny little steps that add up to the large-scale motion.

The prospect of making movies that reveal the functional motions of molecules has been a tantalizing possibility, but is now possible through a new instrument called the LCLS built at Stanford University. We will discuss how the LCLS works and enables us to make motion pictures of molecules in action, and the profound impact that this could have on the future.

Watch Dr. Eaton Lattman's Tedx Talk at Cornell College on Molecular Movies with X-ray Lasers in March 2016.