Wen Zhang

In cold clouds of interstellar gas, carbon hides inside carbon monoxide (CO) molecules, like sugar dissolved in tea. But near hot, massive stars, this 'tea' boils: harsh radiation tears the molecules apart, and carbon escapes as lone atoms or ions.

The scene is lit by spotlights, but the most interesting action happens in the shadows — where molecules invisible to the eye are hiding. The new camera picks up the heat of these "invisible" objects and turns it into ordinary light.