One of the greatest challenges of the 21st century will be securing cheap and renewable sources of energy. One of the most promising approaches to this challenge is to design catalysts from earth-abundant materials capable of implementing key chemical reactions, including splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen (H2O → 2H+ + O2); and both the oxidation (H2→ 2H+) and reduction (2H+→ H2) of hydrogen among many others. In studying catalysts, we often focus on the “nature of the active site” which for classical heterogeneous catalysts works well- but not all catalysts work by surface sorption processes alone. In some systems, it is increasingly realised that processes of precipitation and reformation may actually be key to how the catalysts work. In this talk, we explore how X-ray experiments can be used to probe systems over different timescales. Utilising underlying electrochemical change coupled to single wavelength x-ray absorption we can separate the different timescales of deposition and oxidative electrochemical processes. Using X-ray imaging we can follow the movement of redox process through mm-mm of deposited material. The redox events between reactant and catalyst and the speed of these processes appear to play a key role in both engineering product selectivity and catalyst stability. We examine how the events after catalysis may be key for understanding both the active events of catalysis as well as mechanisms of decomposition. Key for modern and ancient catalyst design alike.