X-rays interact weakly with matter. This is their greatest strength for many applications, but also a fundamental weakness for others. In particular the fields of nonlinear optics and quantum optics, mainstays for both fundamental science and technological applications with light, require a strong interaction. Thus, efforts in various directions are undertaken to intensify the light-matter interaction in the X-ray regime. One of the routes towards this goal employs the use of so-called resonant processes. X-ray absorption at atomic resonances (at wavelengths that exactly match the energy required to push the atom in an excited state) can be orders of magnitude larger than off-resonance. A new study led by DESY scientist Ralf Röhlsberger now shows a novel way to enhance and control the interaction of X-rays with resonant atomic systems.