Researchers at the University of Chemistry and Technology Prague and the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry have created a novel thienyl-based acylhydrazone photoswitch that undergoes a unique transformation from a stable closed-shell state to a long-lived open-shell triplet state upon light exposure. This new molecule exhibits a half-life of over six hours, significantly longer than previously reported triplet states. The implications of this discovery are vast, including applications in catalysis, where it acts as a radical initiator, and in data storage and spintronics, allowing for light-based information writing and magnetic reading. Additionally, the photoswitch can generate reactive oxygen species to effectively eliminate antibiotic-resistant pathogens, making it a promising tool for medical applications. The research highlights the molecule's low production cost and the serendipitous discovery of its efficacy in biological settings, paving the way for future studies.