Believe it or not – this intricate rose flower is thinner than a strand of human hair

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Harvard engineers created this tiny flower using a technique called “hierarchical microarchitectures”. The tiny but intricate plant shapes, such as vases, flowers, and leaves, begin with a glass plate dipped into a mixture of silicon and minerals (most importantly, barium chloride salts). As the solution solidifies, engineers make minor adjustments to the environment in order…

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The Omega Man Counterfeiter creates counterfeit coins so perfect that the only way to detect his fakes is with a microscope.

Omega sign on a coin created by the Omega Man Counterfeiter

In the early 1970’s, ANACS (American Numismatic Association Certification Service) noticed an unusually high number of “high relief” coins entering the market. High relief coins are coins that are struck multiple times to produce extremely clear, concise contours. Suspicious that an unusually high quality counterfeiter could be the culprit, they began careful examination of the…

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