Researchers at IBM have created the world's smallest movie by manipulating single atoms on a copper surface.

The stop-motion animation uses a few dozen carbon atoms, moved around with the tiny tip of what is called a scanning tunnelling microscope (STM). It would take about 1,000 of the frames of the film laid side by side to span a single human hair. The extraordinary feat of atomic precision has been certified by the Guinness Book of World Records. It is a showpiece for IBM's efforts to design next-generation data storage solutions based on single atoms.

 By Jason Palmer /BBC News /continue reading