Scientists Reduce Bible to a Speck
Scientists in Israel have used a particle beam to etch the entire text of the Jewish Bible (Old Testament) on a chip less than half the size of a sugar grain.
The nanotechnology experts at the Technion institute in Haifa said the text measured less than 0.5 sq mm. They chose the Jewish Bible to highlight how vast quantities of information could be stored in tiny spaces. “It took us about an hour to etch the 300,000 words of the Bible onto a tiny silicon surface,’’ said Ohad Zohar, the university’s scientific adviser for educational programs.
The microscopic bible was created by blasting tiny particles at an object which then rebounded, causing an etching effect. “When a particle beam is directed toward a point on the surface, the gold atoms bounce off and expose the silicon layer underneath just like a hammer and chisel,’’ Mr Zohar said. The technology would be used in future to store vast amounts of data on bio-molecules and DNA, he said.
The previous smallest known copy of the Bible measured 2.8cm by 3.4cm by cm and on a single sheet 1 mm thick, according to Guinness World Records. The text originated in Australia. I do have one of the rare copies of this previously smallest Bible in the world. I used to show my grandchildren how to read it under the microscope. Every letter is legible. (The Australian, 24 December 2007).
