ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

ISIS neutron source

Imagine that you have a bunch of tiny puzzle pieces that you want to put together to create a picture. But the only problem is that the pieces are scattered everywhere and you have no idea how they fit together. That's where the ISIS Neutron Source comes in!

ISIS Neutron Source is a really big machine that generates a stream of tiny particles called neutrons. These neutrons are like little detectives that can tell you where each puzzle piece needs to go in order to create the whole picture.

Scientists use these neutrons to study all sorts of things like materials, chemicals, and even proteins. The neutrons pass through the object being studied and bounce back to sensors, which helps the researchers see how everything fits together.

The ISIS Neutron Source is the only machine in the UK that can do this type of neutron detection, which makes it very special. It allows scientists to learn more about the world around us and helps them solve really difficult puzzles that they couldn't solve otherwise!