Looking at what happens when a fast hydrogen atom collides with a deuterium -deuterium molecule (like in the photo) enables scientists to make predictions about how the atoms will behave - but nobody had predicted an amazing "tug-of-war" behaviour of the molecule!

Read an abstract of the article, published in Nature

See the collisions and results - amazing!

The fast hydrogen atom is a radical - these are thought to play a role in ageing mechanisms in the body, in degenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and in atmospheric processes, such as the production of smog and destruction of ozone.