New spectroscopic information on electric quadrupole collectivity has recently been obtained. We report on our identification of a coexisting deformed structure in the quasi-doubly closed-shell nucleus 96 Zr from our measurement of a corresponding absolute E2 intraband transition strength in electron scattering reactions and its small mixing matrix element with the spherical ground state structure. The even-mass zirconium isotopes exhibit a first order quantum shape phase transition between

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... ron numbers 58 and 60. We have used photon scattering reactions for a first measurement of the E2 decay strength of the nuclear 1 + scissors mode. Evidence for its 2 + rotational excitation and its extraordinarily large rotational moment of inertia are presented. *