At SLAC’s FACET facility, researchers have produced an intense electron beam by 'sneaking’ electrons into plasma, demonstrating a method that could be used in future compact discovery machines that explore the subatomic world.

Combined with the lab’s LCLS X-ray laser, it’ll provide unprecedented atomic views of some of nature’s speediest processes.

Its electron beams will drive the generation of up to a million ultrabright X-ray flashes per second.

The approach could advance our understanding of fundamental forces under extreme conditions with applications from astrophysics to fusion research.