Scientists Finally Capture Mysterious Molecule That’s Eluded Detection for 70 Years

Researchers directly detected oxygen-rich tetroxide molecules for the first time, confirming a decades-old chemical theory.

The discovery used advanced mass spectrometry and was reported in Science Advances on 13 March 2026.

The team found tetroxides can exist at room temperature in air with lifetimes of about 0.2 to 200 milliseconds, affecting atmospheric and biological oxidation pathways.