Learn how scientists turn a half-mile long particle accelerator into a microscope in this video from SciTech Now. Located on Long Island, the National Synchrotron Light Source II is a groundbreaking research facility where electrons are shot around a circular track at nearly the speed of light for various experiments. As X-ray beams from these tests separate off, various researchers’ stations collect them to study microscopic samples of material.

See the Electromagnetic Spectrum All Around Us Handout in the Supporting Materials section to learn more about where x-rays and other types of light are found, and how they're used.