The authors describe this new breakthrough as a “hybrid” form of matter that lies between a solid and a liquid. One of the most exciting areas of research right now is right at the line between a metallic liquid and solid. Typically, we think of matter in three forms: as a gas, liquid, or solid (sometimes plasma if you’re into that sort of astrophysical thing). And by increasing the number defects using an electron beam, scientists could effectively control the number of stationary atoms in the liquid. Once the ring of stationary atoms is disrupted, this unstable solid forms a normal crystal.