Weekend Wrap-up Jan. 27: Science Saturday — The World Smallest…Knot?

Leon Stevens
3 min readJan 27, 2024

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An international team of chemists has set a new world record for tying the world’s smallest knot, which they say consists of only 54 atoms. Remarkably, researchers involved with the achievement say it happened by accident, and are unable to account for how it occurred. “ — The Debrief.org

Not actual size. Not even the actual picture.

Atoms. We learned about them in high school or by watching The Big Bang Theory. The TV show was probably more entertaining than the science teacher unless you had one of those crazy science teachers who blew up things either on purpose or by accident.

What we are taught atoms look like.
What atoms really look like. (I suppose. That’s what came up when I googled it.)

So when scientists put a bunch of stuff (chemistry atoms, I assume) in a Erlenmeyer flask (a real flask) and shook the bejesus out of it (a real scientific method originally called the “Archimedes Shake”) they discovered that they had created a knot out of a string of atoms.

Let’s all say in our best derisive voice, “But, did they?”

Of course they did! It’s science! Sweet, sweet, science! Now they just have to make some tiny shoes.

-Leon

On my blog this week:

Hope you enjoyed the recap! Feel free to share it with others.

Leon Stevens is a multi-genre author, composer, guitarist, songwriter, and an artist, with a Bachelor of Music and Education. He published his first book of poetry, Lines by Leon: Poems, Prose, and Pictures in January 2020, followed by a book of original classical guitar compositions, Journeys, and a short story collection of science fiction/post-apocalyptic tales called The Knot at the End of the Rope and Other Short Stories. His newest publications are the novella trilogy, The View from Here, which is a continuation of one of his short stories, and a new collection of poetry titled, A Wonder of Words.

My new book page: http://books.linesbyleon.com/

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Originally published at http://linesbyleon.com on January 27, 2024.

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Leon Stevens

Leon Stevens is a writer, composer, guitarist, songwriter, and an artist, with a Bachelor of Music and Education. www.linesbyleon.com