It was a pleasure to welcome Prof Mark Breese, Director of SSLS, and Dr Jasbir Singh, Director of the Government Scientific Advisors Office, NRF Singapore, to Diamond earlier today. It was wonderful to show what goes on behind the scenes at Diamond and explore opportunites for future collaboration.

A team of scientists has revealed how S. pneumoniae selectively captures the host sugar sialic acid as soon as it is released from human cells, providing new insights into how the bacterium establishes itself in the respiratory tract. Read more 👉 https://bit.ly/4fTnrad

Applications for our #Tomography Workshop: HTTomo are now open! This two-day workshop will help users gain confidence in using the HTTomo reconstruction software, from building bespoke pipelines and submitting jobs to interpreting results. Apply online by Monday 7 September 👉 https://bit.ly/44QvbEZ

Diamond's 16,000th paper has uncovered clues to hidden oceans on icy moons in our Solar System. Using the I11 beamline, researchers found that sodium chloride hydrates act as a geological archive of freezing conditions on ocean worlds like Europa and Enceladus. Read more 👉 https://bit.ly/4wqUzwY

Last week, we held our I15-1 User Meeting for users across the community to showcase the exciting total scattering and pair distribution function science taking place in the field. The event was a fantastic chance for attendees to network and share their findings through talks and poster sessions.

Researchers used our I13-1 beamline to study the nanoscale structures of butterfly wings' vibrant colours. They suggest that 3D characterisations of nanoscale differences in material make-ups could help us better understand the diverse properties of biomaterials. Read more 👉 https://bit.ly/4fghy7Y

Congratulations to Diamond's Mark Warren part of the winning team behind the @rsc.org Dalton Horizon Prize, recognised for their transformative approach to the synthesis, stabilisation and catalytic application of highly reactive transition metal complexes 👏 Read more 👉 https://bit.ly/4pyppkB

It was wonderful to welcome Didcot and Wantage MP Olly Glover to Diamond earlier today and showcase how AI is supporting innovation in science and the research sector.

Using an InfraRed microbeam at Diamond, researchers have captured the molecular changes between 3D water and 2D confined water. The findings provide direct evidence for long-standing theoretical predictions about 2D water and offer a benchmark for future studies. Read more 👉 https://bit.ly/4forrPD

It was a pleasure to host Julia Lopez MP, the Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, at Diamond earlier today.

Interested in applying cryo-ET and cryo-FIB in your research? Apply for the Wellcome-MRC in situ Cryo-ET Workshop by 19 July for in-person attendance and 25 September for online! 📅 28 September - 02 October 📍 Diamond Light Source, the Astbury Centre and online Learn more 👉 https://bit.ly/4wGL38Z

Registration for Diamond's annual Serial Crystallography Workshop is now open! The workshop will cover the basics of serial crystallography and training on how to run experiments at Diamond. 📅 22-23 September 📍 Diamond 🎟️ Free ⏳ Apply by 17:00, Sunday 16 August Apply here 👉 https://bit.ly/44W0Lkw

How do you bridge the gap between cutting-edge science and industrial innovation? This recently published article explores the role of diamondlightsource.bsky.social's Industrial Liaison Office in supporting #industry across #pharmaceuticals, #materials, #energy and more. https://loom.ly/0_Oy3dw

A new UKRI-STFC AI project, led by the Ada Lovelace Centre, is set to transform lab-based experimental science. Bringing together experts from Diamond, STFC Scientific Computing and PSDI, the project aims to make experiments smarter, faster and more autonomous. Read more 👉 https://bit.ly/4wwQUxp

The @rosfrankinst.bsky.social, working with Diamond and @mrcharwell.bsky.social, has awarded funding to four new projects through a pump prime initiative. Supporting early-stage research, the scheme aims to foster stronger interdisciplinary science on campus. Read more 👉 https://bit.ly/4fsE9x9

Researchers at Diamond have developed a laser Speckle-based Curvature Optical Metrology instrument that directly measures two-dimension surface curvature of high-performance X-ray mirrors. This will help to predict and optimise beam quality much more effectively. Read more 👉 https://bit.ly/4aAZW3X

The ticket ballot is officially open for our next public open day on Saturday 24 October 2026! Enter online by 23:59 on 20 September for your chance to visit the UK's national synchrotron and learn all about the cutting-edge research from the experts themselves 👉 https://bit.ly/3SSR6sc

As an Armed Forces Covenant employer, today we mark #ArmedForcesDay alongside communities across the UK. We recognise the dedication and service of the entire Armed Forces community, from serving personnel and reservists to veterans, cadets and families.

Using high-resolution micro-CT scanning at Diamond and @esrf.fr, the Vesuvius Challenge has achieved a historic discovery in the Herculaneum scrolls, revealing new text, titles and authors unknown to history - bringing about a new era for the study of ancient history. 🔗 https://bit.ly/3QCbdu6

On #ReservesDay today, we wanted to take the opportunity to recognise and thank reservists across the UK. At Diamond, we’re proud to be a ERS Gold employer and remain committed to supporting veterans and reservists who balance their day-to-day roles with serving in the Reserve Forces.

To celebrate #INWED26, we're shining a light on Michela Semeraro, a Senior Mechanical Project Engineer at Diamond. In this video, Michela offers insights into her day-to-day role by sharing the projects she's working on at Diamond and how they align with her overarching career goals. Watch below 👇

Researchers at ShanghaiTech, Diamond and @ox.ac.uk have developed a new X-ray technique to capture magnetic motion in unprecedented detail, revealing how fast magnetic excitations oscillate, and how they evolve through space and time too. Find out more 👉 https://bit.ly/4eKywdk

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Michael Fitzpatrick as the new interim Chair of the Board. Professor Fitzpatrick has served as a non-executive director of the board for the last 10 years and brings a wealth of experience to the position. Read more 👉 https://bit.ly/4oxisQp

Last week, we welcomed an international group of delegates to Diamond for the QUASAR workshop. Across three days, the workshop used interactive tutorials and real-world examples to explore a wide spectrum of InfraRed applications for current, prospective and potential users.

We were delighted to host 209 students and teachers at our schools open day last week. To kick off the visit, the groups learnt about what happens at Diamond before heading on a tour of the synchrotron to see the technology up close. Enter the ballot for the next one here 👉 https://bit.ly/410Epwq

#ThrowbackThursday - In 2022, researchers came to Diamond to find out which compounds were in present in bricks from the ovens used on the Mary Rose. They found that they contained iron and calcium salts, and were able to analyse them to decipher how best to preserve the bricks going forward.

It was a pleasure to host a delegation from the Thames Valley @rsc.org on Monday. The group went on a tour of the facility, visiting the B18 and I19 beamlines, where they heard directly from our scientists about the #spectroscopy and #crystallography experiments at Diamond.

Using synchrotron technology at Diamond, scientists have discovered a thermal process in #magma which could explain why similar volcanic systems can produce very different eruptions - and it's down to something called #superheating. Learn more in the article 👉 https://bit.ly/4uWkKef

🦠 How do you design a medicine for a virus that doesn’t even exist yet? In this video, Fanny Escudié, our Senior Discovery Project Manager, breaks down how scientists are preparing for future pandemics with broad-spectrum antivirals.

Using zinc-specific spectroscopy at Diamond, scientists have found that electronic structure is dominant in controlling how #diorganozincs behave. Their approach could be a toolkit for studying zinc-containing battery electrolytes and zinc in biological systems. Read more 👉 https://bit.ly/4ugxyeg