Researchers have developed a new method for manipulating light at the nanoscale in order to optically detect single molecules. By shining circularly polarized light on a gold, square-ring shaped nanostructure, the researchers were able to ‘activate’ the entire surface of the nanostructure, thereby significantly increasing the opportunity for interaction with molecules. The method has a broad range of potential applications in nanoscale photochemistry and could assist in the advancement of technologies for visualising single molecules and multiple-molecule interactions.