However, to fully harness this potential, researchers require a profound understanding of how light interacts with the material’s electrons. That’s tricky, because the behavior involves complex, overlapping dynamics, like real and virtual particles moving between and within energy bands. Until now, such effects were thought to come only from the movement of real electric charges, but this shows that even virtual quantum pathways can play a decisive role. To make that leap, scientists need to understand not just how real electric charges move, but also how virtual charges behave in the quantum realm. This study shows both are key to unlocking the next generation of lightning-speed technology.