⚛️ For the first time ever, scientists have captured the thermal “wiggle” of individual atoms inside a quantum material. Using a super-resolution electron-ptychography microscope, the University of Maryland team imaged 15-picometer blur-trails—the motion signature of long-theorized moiré phasons—in twisted, two-dimensional crystals made of stacked tungsten diselenide sheets. The frames were recorded at room temperature and stitched into a timelapse that lets researchers watch heat ripple across the lattice much like a slow-motion GIF. Peer-reviewed in Science on 24 July 2025, the work confirms predictions that these phasons steer both heat flow and electron behavior in ultra-thin devices. ⁠ ⁠ Why care? Twisted 2-D layers are the building blocks of tomorrow’s quantum computers, ultra-cool CPUs, and photonic chips. Seeing how atoms jiggle lets engineers design pathways that drain heat, boost superconductivity, or lock in fragile quantum states. Because the technique isolates defects and ...