Slashdot Mirror
Scientists Weigh Smallest Mass Ever
PaSTE writes "From the article, 'US scientists have managed to measure the mass of a cluster of xenon atoms at just a few billionths of a trillionth of a gram - or a few zeptograms. The record measurement is in the mass range of individual protein molecules, and the detection was made using sensitive scales developed at Caltech.' Another big leap forward for nanotechnology."
As big as a dimple on a pimple on a fly's left nut.
The GEEK shall inherit the earth...
first dupe!
They weigh less than the Olson Twins!
Kate Moss?
I don't keep a lid on my coffee so when I walk around I look busy -me
A related article from less than 24 hours ago covers another use of the nanomechanical scale developed at Caltech. This article is not exactly a dupe because it talks about a different application of the same scale.
This was posted on BBC on March 30.
just in case NASA are reading
A lot of people here are saying that "omg it's taco's penis". Let me explain something to these people: for something to have a mass (even if it is exceptionally small) it is first required that it exists. Since this has not been proven satisfactorily, I will say that it is probably taco's brain, which is obviously present (because he keeps posting stories), however very very small.
The smallest mass ever measured would have to go to the electron. However, the measurement does not involve a scale but rather manipulation of electric fields. Moreover, scientists have shown that nuetrinos do in fact have mass (previously thought to be massless) and soon it will be the smallest mass ever measured
You don't have to be smart to use a Mac, you just have to be smart enough to buy one
I wish people wouldn't post, you know, real stories on April 1st. Boycott reality for a day. It causes confusion.
Does this quark make me look fat?
"It weighs more than Bush's brain."
:P
Tee hee giggle snort. Uh huh.
If you're going to try for a funny, try soemthing where people have to figure it out. Example:
"Mr. Bush was pleased to find that science could finally measure what makes him such a strong leader!"
Okay, not all that funny, but at least it leaves a little more to the imagination.
"Derp de derp."
You know, you can replace that with just about anybody famous or not, and chances are somebody will agree with you. That doesn't stop you from being incredibly not funny.
[disclaimer] I am rather liberal, and dislike GWB as much as any leftist man. But come ON people. Harding was MUCH dumber than GWB. You know, mister "You'll have to ask my advisor about that tax thing. There was a book about this tax thing which was supposed to explain it to be, but hell, i don't understand the book!"
This isn't the smallest mass ever measured, if it's anything it might be the smallest mass ever measured with something that's essientially mechanical. . ...
http://www.vetscite.org/publish/items/000305/
And what about physists who come up with masses for the fundamental particles??
Usually people use different tools when it comes to measuring things with masses in this range - a mass spectrometer for example
As for measuring really light things using the change in frequency of something that's vibrating that's not new
Professor Roukes' homepage has a link to his earlier published paper on attogram mass detection (2004). The abstract mentions that mass sensing of individual molecules will be realizable with optimized NEMS devices. Also there is link to paper which discusses the ultimate limit to mass sensing based on NEMS. Needless to say that so far it is not the physics of these nanostructures but the extrinsic amplifier noise which limited the measurement.