Owing to their unique physical properties, nanostructured materials are now at the forefront of materials science. Several different techniques can be used to characterize their microscopic features, but each of these has its pros and cons. In new research published in The European Physical Journal Special Topics, Jenő Gubicza at ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, shows that one indirect method, named X-ray diffraction line profile analysis (XLPA) is suitable for analyzing nanostructured materials, but its application and interpretation require special care for obtaining reliable conclusions.