Chikungunya virus research. X-ray diffraction pattern of proteins from the Chikungunya virus that have been analysed in a synchrotron. The Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an insect-borne Alphavirus that is transmitted to humans by virus-carrying Aedes sp. mosquitoes. A synchrotron is a device that accelerates electrons in a vacuum tube to velocities approaching the speed of light. The electrons are kept in alignment by a series of special magnets. As the electrons travel around in a loop they radiate very bright and intense x-rays. This radiation can be used to study extremely small structures in materials science and molecular biology. Photographed at the Pasteur Institute, Paris, France.