Two-dimensional (2D) atomic crystals, such as graphene and transition-metal dichalcogenides, have emerged as a new class of materials with remarkable physical properties. In contrast to graphene, monolayer MoS 2 is a non-centrosymmetric material with a direct energy gap. Strong photoluminescence, a current on/off ratio exceeding 10 8 in field-effect transistors, and efficient valley and spin control by optical helicity have recently been demonstrated in this material. Here we report the spectroscopic identification in a monolayer MoS 2 field-effect transistor of tightly bound negative trions, a quasiparticle composed of two electrons and a hole. These quasiparticles, which can be optically created with valley and spin polarized holes, have no analogue in conventional semiconductors. They also possess a large binding energy (∼ 20 meV), rendering them significant even at room temperature. Our results open up possibilities both for fundamental studies of many-body interactions and for optoelectronic and valleytronic applications in 2D atomic crystals. © 2013 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.