Physicists Build World's Smallest Snowman
The holiday season is in full swing and what better way to mark the month than with the world's smallest snowman?
The National Physical Laboratory in the United Kingdom are celebrating the season with the world's smallest snowman. NPL built the tiny snowman by using two tin beads to calibrate electron microscope astigmatism. Measuring 10 µm across, 1/5th the width of a human hair, Mr. Snowman's eyes and smile were milled using a focused ion beam, and the nose, which is under 1 µm wide (or 0.001 mm), is ion beam deposited platinum.
NPL says they used a nanomanipulation system to assemble the parts 'by hand' and platinum deposition to weld all elements together. Mr Snowman is mounted on a silicon cantilever from an atomic force microscope whose sharp tip 'feels' surfaces creating topographic surveys at almost atomic scales.
I thought this pretty neat when I first came across it but now that I've watched the video, I think I might be in love. Look at that sweet, nano-smile! And that music! Group hug, guys.
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I guess building nanobots to seek destroy cancer cells in the bloodstream can wait, we gotta build a snowman!!!
Pretty cool. 1/5th width human hair, would you even be able to see it in your hand? Wouldn't think you would.
Snowman FAIL! Everbody knows snowmen have THREE sections, not two. Careless scientists.
reminds me of a joke:
Question:
Do you know how moth balls smell??
Answer:
Yes, they smell awful.
Joke:
Really, and how do you get their little legs apart?
Awesome!
Snowman FAIL! Everbody knows snowmen have THREE sections, not two. Careless scientists.
Not true!
Snowman FAIL! Everbody knows snowmen have THREE sections, not two. Careless scientists.
Hehe, that's what I was thinking. However, just like people snowmen can come in all sizes.
Not true!
That one has 3 sections, just like us head, torso and the legs section, the micro snowman just has 2 he has no legs
That was pretty cool.
Those guy have too much time on their hands!
- Too Much Time on My Hands by Styx (on You Tube)
I guess building nanobots to seek destroy cancer cells in the bloodstream can wait, we gotta build a snowman!!!
Like all of us, even researchers working for the greater good need a break once in a while. Why not mix in a little fun with your work... nano style!
I guess building nanobots to seek destroy cancer cells in the bloodstream can wait, we gotta build a snowman!!!
Next year: Frosty the cancer-hunting nanobot...
Cue the music:
Frosty the nanobot was a cancer eating fiend,
With a biomolecular pipe and a ion deposited platinum nose
And two eyes made by depletion via ion beam.
Frosty the nanobot is a fairy tale, they say,
He was made of tin but the children who are
Thin, know he saved a life by destroying cancer cells.
Those guy have too much time on their hands! - Too Much Time on My Hands by Styx (on You Tube)
I think Renegade is actually Tommy Shaw trying to sell greatest hits albums by posting in forums found by googling styx lyrics!
Neat-o Cheeto.
The snowman has quite a defect (a missing chunck) on the lower left of his body.
Umm, if made out of two tin beads, it's not a snowman. It's a tinman.
Riddle: What's the difference between a snowman and a snowwoman?
These guys have a bit too much time on their hands...
These guys have a bit too much time on their hands...
Yeah, Styx should write a song about it.
Riddle: What's the difference between a snowman and a snowwoman?
snowMEN are much better drivers.
So the snowman's height is like 30 um. That's really actually not all that small. I suspect there are no fewer than 100 research groups in the world that could make a smaller one in under a week if they wanted to.
don't sneeze!
Umm, if made out of two tin beads, it's not a snowman. It's a tinman.
Exactly what I was thinking too. Doesn't a SNOW man need to be made out of... snow?
Cool either way.
Its amazing what scientists can accomplish when they dont feel like doing work.
Its amazing what scientists can accomplish when they dont feel like doing work.
LOL, so true
wheres the snow?
most ground breaking discoveries are done when scientists horse around.
"Eureka" ain't the word that marks a breakthrough: it's actually, "hey now, that's fun!"
Most expensive, snow man, ever...
.
Still funny though
I wonder how long this took and how many people had to be involved? Surly this 'research' will lead to useful advances for mankind... right?
next up sub-atomic santa
that's cool! what a waste of money!
That one has 3 sections, just like us head, torso and the legs section, the micro snowman just has 2 he has no legs
My snowman doesnt have legs!