With scientific breakthroughs, major facility developments and lively events, 2025 has been an action-packed and successful year. We look forward to discovering what we can achieve together in 2026. Prof. Dr. Thomas Feurer & Dr. Nicole Elleuche Shorted version, find whole text on www.xfel.eu

"It's not a shutdown!" some staff are quick to emphasize, because they have indeed been quite busy. While no electrons and photons are currently racing through our tunnels from Hamburg to Schenefeld, here's what has been going on down there over the past six months. www.xfel.eu/news_and_eve...

Purple: employees of European XFEL show their support for people with disabilities. European XFEL is committed to fostering an inclusive work environment, where all staff members can actively, equally, and effectively participate in work life.

The Lighthouse becomes an #art #gallery once again: Christian Lünig sets #focus on #research #facilities. ‘Icons of Research’ – the aesthetics of modern research facilities by Christian Lünig at the Lighthouse Visitor Centre Opening reception: Wednesday, 19 November 2025, 6 to 7:30 p.m.

We’re proud to share that @EuropeanXFEL, together with our partner #DESY, is co-hosting our first Executive Roundtable at the #FallingWalls #ScienceSummit25 in Berlin! We look forward to the discussions ahead—and to building bridges that make scientific collaboration stronger than ever.

Into #sciencecommunication? Become part of PAERI‘26, too. sixth international „Public Awareness and Engagement with Research Infrastructures“ conference, PAERI’26. Theme: Navigating Science Communication in a Shifting Landscape. Registration is open The conference will take place 18-20 March 2026.

The Free and Hanseatic City of #Hamburg and the state of #Schleswig-Holstein today announced their joint support for #fusion -related #research at European XFEL. Find more details on www.xfel.eu

European XFEL welcomes the #German government's plans to promote #fusion-related #research - the High-Tech Agenda Germany #HTAD. The world's largest #X-ray #laser, the European XFEL near #Hamburg, is predestined for investigating fundamental processes of fusion.

Using the two powerful lasers of HED HIBEF, Alejandro Laso from @hzdr.bsky.social tests an imaging method and a new setup for small-angle #X-ray scattering. He is interested in the study of foams. HED HIBEF can also help to understand processes like nuclear #fusion. youtu.be/hOlkZ2VgxHg?...

Es werde Licht! European XFEL Geschäftsführer Thomas Feurer stellt heute Abend (23. Oktober, von 18 bis 19.30 Uhr) im Wissenschaftserlebniszentrum Lighthouse die Kraft von Forschungslasern vor. Der Eintritt ist frei. Der Vortrag ist auch online zu verfolgen: indico.desy.de/event/49097/

Warm ice in the X-ray laser Researchers from the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS) explore unusual forms of ice at room temperature under extreme pressure at the @europeanxfel.bsky.social and DESY. Find all details and original source on www.xfel.eu

Researchers and staff at European XFEL, are glad to hear that Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar M. Yaghi have been awared the #NobelPrize in #Chemistry. Samples from Professor Omar M. #Yaghi's lab were examined at EuXFEL in 2022. #research #congratulations

Thank you @rothlabs.bsky.social for your efforts in building this important bridge between @tubaf.bsky.social and @europeanxfel.bsky.social 🙏

44 students of TU Bergakademie Freiberg visited European XFEL as a part of the annual lecture course. For eleven years now, a unique cooperation has been giving students at TU Bergakademie Freiberg @tubaf.bsky.social #Freiberg an insight into the world of the X-ray free-electron laser (#XFEL).

Last day of our lecture series “Materials Research at X-ray Free-Electron Lasers” @europeanxfel.bsky.social! After 13 sessions, our students are FEL-ready. Huge thanks to all lecturers—and best of luck with the exam! #TUBAF #EuXFEL

The European XFEL has a new electron source installed at the injector on the DESY campus. The new source, called GUN5, was developed and tested at DESY's Photo #Injector Test Facility in Zeuthen (PITZ) and will enable even shorter pulses at the world's largest X-ray laser. Find mor on www.xfel.eu

European XFEL and the University of Kosice, Slovakia, have signed a framework agreement for joint co-operation. The agreement gives research groups from the Slovakian university the opportunity to carry out cutting-edge #research at European XFEL.

Congratulations! Prof. Dr. Beata Ziaja-Motyka, Group Leader at the Center for Free-Electron Laser Science at DESY, Full Professor at the Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences (IFJ PAN), and close partner of European XFEL, has been awarded the Polish. Bronze Cross of Merit. xfel.eu

Ferroelectrics are promising candidates for the electronics of tomorrow. An experiment at the world’s largest X-ray laser – the European XFEL in Schenefeld near Hamburg – now shows that their properties can be controlled with high precision at ultrafast time scales –using light. Details: www.xfel.eu

Follow us to the #tunnels. For more than eight years, the #temperature inside the European XFEL #electron accelerator was minus 271 degrees Celsius. Now, for the first time, the #accelerator has been slowly warmed up to room temperature for mandatory #maintenance and extensive conversion work.

An international, interdisciplinary team, succeeded in visualizing the collective trembling of an entire molecule 👉 Read more www.cui-advanced.uni-hamburg.de/cui-advanced... @europeanxfel.bsky.social #DESY @maxplanck.de

An international team of researchers (e.g. slac_lab ) at European XFEL in Schenefeld near Hamburg, Germany has produced the first solid chemical compound of gold and hydrogen so-called gold hydride: This discovery contradicts the previous assumption that gold hardly reacts with hydrogen. xfel.eu

Celebration of Pride Week 2025 At European XFEL, we are proud to be an international, science-driven community where individuality and #diversity are truly valued. Several European #XFEL staff members have offered to share their stories about being LGBTQI+ in #STEM: www.xfel.eu/news_and_eve...

Attention #PHD-Students @europeanxfel.bsky.social offers young researchers direct access to the international scientific community and unique opportunities to help shape cutting-edge research. Most recent proof:the annual "Students' and Science Days" - A three-day conference in the Lüneburg Plains.

Minus 196 degrees Celsius- liquid #nitrogen is perfect for cooling down the ingredients for vegan ice cream in no time at all. Experience this at the Open Day at European XFEL, the world's largest X-ray research laser, on Saturday, 28 June, 12 noon to 6 pm. Admission is free - programme on homepage!

Groundbreaking experiment at European XFEL: Research team of @University of Rostock and the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf ( @www.helmholtz.de HZDR) measured structure of #liquidcarbon for the first time. Find more report in @nature.com (DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09035-6).

Impressive teamwork! Thanks @hzdr.bsky.social for your impact at this groundbreaking experiment.

Groundbreaking experiment at European XFEL: Research team of University of Rostock and the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) measured structure of liquid carbon for the first time (illustration: Martin Kuensting / HZDR). Find more report in @nature.com (DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09035-6).

europeanxfel Embracing #diversity at all levels, DESY and the European XFEL jointly hosted a special #neurodiversity event under the motto "Every brain is unique". The event also highlighted the special #abilities of neurodivergent people like unique problem-solving skills #science #research

Researchers at the FXE instrument at @europeanxfel have now developed a new #spectrometer to obtain meaningful results even at energies well above 15 keV. It works in the so-called Laue geometry. The higher the X-ray energy, the more efficiently the Laue analyser works. #pysics #xray

The HERCULES program provides #training for #students, #postdoctoral and senior #scientists from European and non-European universities and laboratories. Together with the groups XPD, FXE and SQS of European XFEL, the participants had the opportunity to take part in practical exercises at beam times

European XFEL opened its doors to 52 students aged 10-16 who were given exciting insights into various careers in technology, science and administration at the international research facility on the nationwide Girls' and Boys' Day. The boys of "Campus Reporter" group shot this video. #nextgeneration

Dear Friedrich, we wish you successful experiments!

Dear @paullxavier.bsky.social for sharing that with us. We hope that the presentation at #apssummit25 went well!!

European XFEL congratulates the new Chairwoman of the DESY Board of Directors Prof. Dr Dr h.c. Beate Heinemann, who takes office tomorrow 1 April, and wishes her every success in her new position. European XFEL also thanks her predecessor Prof. Dr Dr h.c. Helmut Dosch for his decisive support.

On the road (well - in the train) to one of my favorite science spots @europeanxfel.bsky.social today :)

Vernissage ‘Parallel Universes’ on 27 March at 17:00 in the Lighthouse Visitor Centre of European XFEL in #schenefeld/#Hamburg On display are the fluorescent and phosphorescent #artworks by the northern German artist Felix Stöver, who quickly became popular in the #psytrance and #Goa scene.

Thank you @jurgenvilla.bsky.social for the pictures of your visit at @europeanxfel.bsky.social . Looking forward to meet see you again.

Thanks @jurgenvilla.bsky.social for visiting us and sharing your impressions!! ❤️

#EuropeanXFEL Visitors Center Lighthouse shows its second #arts #exhibition: "Parallel Universes" —Fluro-Art by Felix Stöver Vernissage: 27 March, 5 p.m. Admission is free. Stöver and his pictures were very well known in the #Psytrance and #Goa scene.

European XFEL and the French National Centre for Scientific Research ( @cnrs.fr ) will further deepen their collaboration with the foundation of a new CNRS International Research Laboratory (IRL) at European XFEL. The aim is to further promote the use of XFELs in France in a wide range of fields.

A research team led by @goetheuni.bsky.social and the research centre DESY with the help of European XFEL has achieved an important breakthrough: Using the example of the pharmaceutically active substance 2-thiouracil, they applied a long-established imaging technique to #complex #molecules .

Researchers from European XFEL, UK Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), the University of Oxford and others, have been searching for #axions that could potentially explain the #darkmatter of the universe. Published in "Physical Review Letters." View more on www.xfel.eu #physics

2/ EIROforum brings together some of Europe’s largest research organisations: ESO @cern.bsky.social, @embl.org, @esa.int, the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility - ESRF, @eurofusion.bsky.social @europeanxfel.bsky.social and @illneutrons.bsky.social.

‘Laserday’ on 8 February around the Lighthouse visitor center of the European XFEL in Schenefeld is showcasing the full range of the #science facility. From 3 to 7 p.m.there will be activities for the whole family: highlight will be the laser show over the plaza from dusk onwards. Admission is free

Join us for an exciting deep dive into our cutting-edge research at @europeanxfel.bsky.social, where we explore the charge transfer dynamics in quantum dot-sensitized TiO2 with the ultimate goal of utilizing this knowledge to optimize photocatalytic reactions. www.xfel.eu/news_and_eve...

European XFEL Young Scientist Award goes to Patrick Heighway from #Oxford #University The jury said: “Patrick Heighway deserves the prestigious prize for his pivotal role in #measuring #x-ray #diffraction at extreme #pressures and #temperatures at the HED-HiBEF Instrument.” More: www.xfel.eu

Excellent morning of updates and science at the EU-XFEL user meeting @europeanxfel.bsky.social ..focus also on H2O call ..yes there is still a lot to learn about water...https://www.cmws-hamburg.de

The lighthouse @europeanxfel.bsky.social

That should be the lighthouse! Of the @europeanxfel.bsky.social