The phrase “the world’s smallest violin” is dripping with sarcasm and reserved for disdain, but for some researchers it’s a mark of pride. Thanks to the latest nanotechnology tools, a team at the United Kingdom’s Loughborough University recently crafted what is literally the world’s smallest violin. At only 35 micrometers long and 13 micrometers wide, the “instrument” is thinner than a human hair and makes tardigrades look imposing by comparison. The chip was next placed into the NanoFrazor, at which point its heated tip seared the violin design into the surface polymer layer. “Though creating the world’s smallest violin may seem like fun and games, a lot of what we’ve learned in the process has actually laid the groundwork for the research we’re now undertaking,” said Morrison.