Physicists at University of California, Riverside have created a rare molecule in the lab, positronium, that could eventually aid in fusion power generation or gamma ray lasers. The positronium molecules are each made up of a pair of electrons and their antimatter twins, positrons. The work, described in the most recent issue of the journal Nature, involves shooting bursts of positrons at a thin film of silica. Electrons within the silica can trap the positrons, creating a short-lived molecule of positronium.

If two of these positronium particles happen to bump into one another before disappearing, they annihilate themselves and give off a burst of gamma radiation—hence the potential for a gamma laser. Though lead researcher David Cassidy (pictured, on the left) does bear a resemblance to the lead character of a certain 2003 film detailing the effects of gamma radiation, there's no evidence that he's unlikeable when angry.—Gregory Mone

Swift is the first satellite explicitly designed to solve the mystery of gamma-ray bursts, the enigmatic explosions that have puzzled astronomers for decades. Practically every day, another burst randomly appears in the sky, flashing powerful gamma rays for anywhere from a fraction of a second to two minutes. Before the burst fades, Swift quickly locates it, rotates its telescopes and other satellites for observation, and relays the burst's location to ground-based telescopes, which study it in detail.