Mind. Blown. SCIENCE!

[usernamenumber]

IBM has created a short animated movie by literally moving atoms around. Man, if I'd seen this *mumblemumble* years ago, I might have changed majors on the spot. Be sure to watch the making of video, too!

Also, should I feel dumb for wondering "...but what's the stuff in each frame where the atoms aren't?" It's almost certainly just my ignorance of physics talking, but it's kinda tweaking my mind... "dude, didja ever wonder, like, what nothing is made of?" *takes another hit from the insomnia pipe*

Comments

[real-green-tea.livejournal.com]

The making of http://youtu.be/xA4QWwaweWA

I mean it's basically what it looks like, relies on stuff sitting in wells, and magnetism. I don't believe the video specifies what the 'moving' atoms are (which element) but there's essentially a magnetic head that moves atoms across the surface.

It's kind of like the same as a silicon chip how that works, but also way different. (Wow I need to get more sleeps. English, man...) But yeah. Not electrons in a well but an actual atom sitting in a different kind of well. But still how it sits depends on surface properties.

[laurion]

I saw the video and was very impressed. I think they're using some sort of electron tunneling microscope technology to capture the images, so maybe start there to figure out what the 'sea' is.

[lillibet.livejournal.com]

The molecules are carbon monoxide. The substrate is the little chip that they show at one point in the making-of video--I'm going to guess silicon, but that's a shot in the dark.