An international team of researchers for the first time was able to witness how electronic charge excitation changes electron spin in metal oxides in an ultrafast and inphase manner. Researchers were able to excite an electron to lift it across the bandgap in nickel oxide using a state-of-the-art, ultra-short pulse laser and also witnessed how the information was then transferred to the magnetic system.  This allowed the team to recognize a previously unexplored ultrafast coupling mechanism that happens on a femtosecond scale. The findings now open the door for ultrafast spintronics and could help the development of new ultra-fast storage systems and information technologies in the future.