Electron makes movie debut

Swedish scientists have taken the first clean, moving images of an electron.

By employing a stroboscopic method, such as that used to photograph hummingbirds' rapid movements, the scientists have managed to capture distinctly the elusive sub-atomic particle in a laboratory at the engineering faculty of Lund University.

"A stroboscope enables us to 'freeze' a periodic movement, like capturing a hummingbird flapping its wings. You then take several pictures when the wings are in the same position, such as at the top, and the picture will turn out clear, despite the rapid motion," said Johan Mauritsson, assistant professor at the university.