Scientists Inscribe Jewish Bible onto the Head of a Pin

by Pamela Mortimer

It’s about the size of a half grain of sugar or 0.01 square inch for those of us who don’t sit and stare at sugar grains very often. Amazingly, Israeli scientists have managed to inscribe the entire Hebrew text of the Jewish Bible onto the head of a pin. I wonder if it comes with reading glasses.

The nanotechnology experts at the Technion Institute in Haifa say they chose the Jewish Bible to demonstrate how vast quantities of information can be stored in a minimal amount of space.

"It took us about an hour to etch the 300,000 words of the Bible onto a tiny silicon surface," Ohad Zohar, the university's scientific adviser for educational programs, told the Associated Press in an interview.

The Bible was recreated in microscopic detail by blasting tiny particles called gallium ions at an object that caused the particles to rebound, creating an effect similar to etching.

"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," Zohar said.

Although there are several methods of traditional etching, the most commonly known is through the use of acid on a metal surface to create a design, or in this case, text. Since the Middle Ages, the method has been commonly used by goldsmiths who used etching to create intricate designs on weapons, armor, plates, cups, and other metal surfaces. It is also used to reproduce paintings by old masters such as Rembrandt. Many compare etching to engraving, which is somewhat different but more commonly known among the general public.

Zohar claims that the nanotechnology will be of great use in the future as a way to store vast amounts of data on DNA and bio-molecules.

The Technion Institute’s microscopic Jewish Bible is apparently the world's smallest to date.

Previously, the smallest known copy of the Bible measures 1.1 x 1.3 x 0.4 inches, weighs 0.4 ounces and contains 1,514 pages. Its existence has been recorded in the Guinness World Records according to spokeswoman Amarilis Espinoza. The miniscule text was obtained by an Indian professor in November 2001. It is believed to have originated in Australia.