IBM Moves Individual Atoms for Record Film in Nanoscale Memory Push

A Boy And His Atom: The World's Smallest Movie — IBM

IBM

Researchers manipulated thousands of carbon monoxide molecules under a scanning tunneling microscope to demonstrate the atomic-scale control required for next-generation data storage.

AI-assisted summary of A Boy And His Atom: The World's Smallest Movie — original source. Check the original for full context.

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Key ideas

  • IBM researchers produced "A Boy And His Atom", officially certified by Guinness World Records as the World's Smallest Stop-Motion Film. (0:00)
  • The animation was constructed by maneuvering individual carbon monoxide molecules on a copper surface using a scanning tunneling microscope. (0:00)
  • Rendering the atomic-scale scenes visible to human observers requires a magnification of 100 million times. (0:00)
  • The project serves as a creative demonstration of IBM's foundational research into atomic memory, big data, and nanoscale storage limits. (0:00)

Detailed notes

## Background Published on YouTube by IBM on April 30, 2013, the video showcases the Guinness World Records holder for the World's Smallest Stop-Motion Film. According to the description, IBM nanophysicists used a scanning tunneling microscope to manipulate thousands of carbon monoxide molecules at a magnification of 100 million times, demonstrating the atomic manipulation techniques central to IBM's research in atomic memory and data storage.

## TL;DR The short animation tells the story of a boy who befriends a single atom, engaging in playful activities like bouncing it like a ball, tossing it into the air, and jumping on a trampoline. Entirely free of spoken dialogue, the stop-motion film was produced by physically arranging individual carbon monoxide molecules across a copper surface frame by frame using a scanning tunneling microscope. Requiring 100 million times magnification to be visible to the human eye, the project represents an intersection of nanoscale scientific research and creative storytelling.

## Atmosphere & style The film carries a whimsical, lighthearted, and charming tone, driven by a playful musical soundtrack in place of spoken dialogue. Its minimalist, dot-matrix visual style transforms rigorous nanoscale physics into a delightful and accessible character animation. Watching the short evokes a blend of childlike wonder and scientific awe, bridging the gap between cutting-edge laboratory research and pure creative play.

## Bulletin - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSCX78-8-q0&t=0s) IBM researchers produced "A Boy And His Atom", officially certified by Guinness World Records as the World's Smallest Stop-Motion Film. - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSCX78-8-q0&t=0s) The animation was constructed by maneuvering individual carbon monoxide molecules on a copper surface using a scanning tunneling microscope. - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSCX78-8-q0&t=0s) Rendering the atomic-scale scenes visible to human observers requires a magnification of 100 million times. - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSCX78-8-q0&t=0s) The project serves as a creative demonstration of IBM's foundational research into atomic memory, big data, and nanoscale storage limits.

## Key takeaways - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSCX78-8-q0&t=0s) The short film is officially recognized by Guinness World Records as the World's Smallest Stop-Motion Film. - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSCX78-8-q0&t=0s) The production was conceived by IBM nanophysicists investigating atomic-scale data storage and atomic memory. - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSCX78-8-q0&t=0s) Each frame was created by physically manipulating matter at the fundamental atomic scale rather than using computer-generated imagery. - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSCX78-8-q0&t=0s) Researchers utilized a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) to position thousands of individual molecules. - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSCX78-8-q0&t=0s) The visual elements are composed of carbon monoxide molecules, each consisting of two atoms stacked vertically. - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSCX78-8-q0&t=0s) Molecules were arranged across a copper surface to produce each distinct frame of stop-motion movement. - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSCX78-8-q0&t=0s) Visualizing the film requires magnifying the atomic arrangements 100 million times. - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSCX78-8-q0&t=0s) The narrative tells a dialogue-free story set to a playful musical soundtrack, following a boy who befriends and plays with an atom. - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSCX78-8-q0&t=0s) Animated actions choreographed at the atomic scale include bouncing the atom like a ball, tossing it, and jumping on a trampoline. - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSCX78-8-q0&t=0s) The project bridges advanced nanotechnology research and public science communication through artistic storytelling.

## Detailed walkthrough ### [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSCX78-8-q0&t=0s) A Boy and His Atom: Stop-Motion Animation at the Atomic Scale

The video presents *A Boy And His Atom: The World's Smallest Movie*, an animated stop-motion short created by IBM researchers without spoken dialogue, accompanied entirely by a playful musical soundtrack. Produced as part of IBM’s research into atomic memory and data storage, the animation demonstrates the precise manipulation of matter at the fundamental atomic limit. Rather than using conventional computer-generated graphics or traditional film techniques, nanophysicists arranged individual carbon monoxide molecules—consisting of two atoms stacked vertically on top of each other—across a copper surface using a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) to create each frame of the story.

To render the imagery visible to the human eye, the atomic arrangements must be magnified 100 million times. The narrative follows a boy who meets, befriends, and plays with an atom, engaging in activities such as bouncing it like a ball, tossing it into the air, and jumping on a trampoline, all choreographed through thousands of individually positioned molecules. Certified by Guinness World Records™ as the World's Smallest Stop-Motion Film, the project illustrates how fundamental scientific exploration into atomic-scale data storage and nanotechnology can intersect with creative storytelling.

- **Film Recognition**: Officially certified by Guinness World Records™ as the World's Smallest Stop-Motion Film. - **Scientific Foundation**: Developed by IBM researchers investigating atomic memory, big data, and nanoscale storage limits. - **Microscopy Technique**: Created using a scanning tunneling microscope to precisely place and maneuver thousands of carbon monoxide molecules. - **Scale and Magnification**: Visualized at a scale requiring 100 million times magnification to be seen by the naked eye.

## Mentioned IBM, A Boy And His Atom: The World's Smallest Movie, Guinness World Records, Scanning tunneling microscope, Carbon monoxide

## Video description You're about to see the movie that holds the Guinness World Records™ record for the World's Smallest Stop-Motion Film (see how it was made at http://youtu.be/xA4QWwaweWA). The ability to move single atoms — the smallest particles of any element in the universe — is crucial to IBM's research in the field of atomic memory. But even nanophysicists need to have a little fun. In that spirit, IBM researchers used a scanning tunneling microscope to move thousands of carbon monoxide molecules (two atoms stacked on top of each other), all in pursuit of making a movie so small it can be seen only when you magnify it 100 million times. A movie made with atoms. Learn more about atomic memory, data storage and big data at http://www.ibm.com/madewithatoms

[Source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSCX78-8-q0)

中文简报

IBM操纵单个原子拍摄创纪录影片 推进纳米级存储技术 研究人员在扫描隧道显微镜下操纵了数千个一氧化碳分子，以展示下一代数据存储所需的原子级控制能力。 这部动画短片讲述了一个男孩与单个原子成为朋友的故事，两人一起玩耍，比如像拍球一样拍打原子、将其抛向空中以及在蹦床上跳跃。这部定格动画完全没有口头对白，是通过使用扫描隧道显微镜逐帧在铜表面上物理排列单个一氧化碳分子制作而成的。该作品需要放大1亿倍才能被人眼看到，代表了纳米尺度科研与创意叙事的结合。 IBM研究人员制作了《男孩和他的原子》（A Boy And His Atom），该片被吉尼斯世界纪录官方认证为世界上最小的定格动画。 (0:00) 该动画是通过使用扫描隧道显微镜在铜表面操纵单个一氧化碳分子制作完成的。 (0:00) 要使人类观察者看到这些原子尺度的场景，需要放大1亿倍。 (0:00) 该项目创造性地展示了IBM在原子存储、大数据和纳米级存储极限方面的基础研究。 (0:00)

Reading summary

Created by IBM researchers, *A Boy And His Atom* is a stop-motion short film that demonstrates atomic-scale matter manipulation by positioning individual carbon monoxide molecules to explore the limits of data storage. Atomic Manipulation via Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (0:00) The production relied on nanophysics techniques rather than conventional animation or computer-generated graphics. Using a scanning tunneling microscope, researchers manipulated individual carbon monoxide molecules—each consisting of two vertically stacked atoms—across a copper surface. To make these microscopic arrangements perceptible to the human eye, the frames had to be magnified 100 million times. The work directly stems from IBM's broader scientific investigations into atomic memory, big data, and the physical limits of nanoscale storage. Creative Storytelling at the Nanoscale (0:00) The narrative conveys a dialogue-free story set to a playful musical soundtrack, showing a boy meeting and playing with an atom through activities like tossing it, bouncing it like a ball, and jumping on a trampoline. Choreographed using thousands of individually placed molecules across multiple frames, the production earned certification from Guinness World Records as the World's Smallest Stop-Motion Film, highlighting the intersection between fundamental nanotechnology research and visual storytelling. While presented as an artistic animation, the project serves primarily as an applied demonstration of precise atomic control developed during foundational research into the physical limits of computer memory.

精炼阅读摘要

由IBM研究人员制作的定格动画短片《一个男孩和他的原子》通过扫描隧道显微镜操纵一氧化碳分子，展示了物质在原子极限尺度下的精确操控能力与原子存储研究的突破。 显微操控技术与原子级制程 (0:00) 该短片由IBM研究团队在探索原子内存与大数据纳米级存储极限的过程中开发完成。研究人员并未采用传统的电脑生成图像或常规电影拍摄手段，而是使用扫描隧道显微镜（STM）将数千个一氧化碳分子精确排列在铜表面上。每个一氧化碳分子由两个垂直叠放的原子构成，研究人员逐帧调整其布局来构建定格画面。由于其处于极微观尺度，整套分子结构必须被放大1亿倍，才能以可视形式呈现在肉眼面前。 定格叙事与世界纪录认证 (0:00) 该片全长无人物对白，完全由欢快的音乐原声伴奏，描绘了一个小男孩结识原子并与其互动的定格故事。画面中展现了男孩将原子像球一样拍打、抛向空中以及在蹦床跳跃等动态场景，所有动作均由微观分子的定位编排完成。该作品获得了吉尼斯世界纪录（Guinness World Records™）官方认证，成为世界最小的定格动画电影，体现了前沿纳米科学探索与创意叙事表达的结合。 该项目表明，基于扫描隧道显微镜的分子级操控不仅能够服务于原子尺度数据存储的基础科学研究，也为纳米级物质操纵提供了直观的可视化验证途径。

Detailed notes — zh

## Background 该视频由 IBM 于 2013 年 4 月 30 日在 YouTube 平台发布。视频简介说明，这是获得吉尼斯世界纪录™认证的“世界上最小的定格动画”，IBM 纳米物理学家利用扫描隧道显微镜移动数千个一氧化碳分子制成，需放大 1 亿倍才能观看，旨在展示用于原子级数据存储研究的单原子操控能力。 ## TL;DR 短片展示了一个由微观粒子勾勒出的小男孩与一颗“原子球”嬉戏互动的趣味过程，小男孩在画面中拍球、接球、让球弹跳，并跳上一张原子蹦床腾跃起舞。整部作品利用超高精度扫描隧道显微镜在极低温度下逐帧操控并排列数千个一氧化碳分子拍摄而成，画面必须放大 1 亿倍才能被人眼观察。这一极具童趣的定格动画在打破吉尼斯世界纪录的同时，也展示了 IBM 在原子级数据存储（atomic memory）领域的尖端微观粒子操纵技术。 ## Atmosphere & style 全片没有任何人声对白或解说旁白，完全依靠欢快而富有律动感的电子音乐驱动节奏，营造出轻松幽默、纯真灵动的童趣氛围。极简的微观光点粒子与跳跃欢快的情节构成了鲜明反差，观看过程既像是在欣赏一部返璞归真的趣味简笔画小品，又时刻让人惊叹于底层微观物理操控的极致严谨与硬核科技感。 ## Bulletin - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSCX78-8-q0&t=0s) IBM 研究团队通过精确操控单个分子制作出定格动画《男孩与他的原子》，获得吉尼斯世界纪录认证为“世界上最小的定格动画短片”。 - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSCX78-8-q0&t=0s) 该影片需放大 1 亿倍才能被人眼观察，画面中每一帧均由扫描隧道显微镜（STM）逐一移动一氧化碳分子排列成像。 - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSCX78-8-q0&t=0s) 这项微观粒子操控实验的深层科研目标在于推动 IBM 在原子级存储（atomic memory）及下一代高密度大数据存储介质领域的探索。 ## Key takeaways - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSCX78-8-q0&t=0s) 《男孩与他的原子》被吉尼斯世界纪录正式认证为世界上最小的定格动画电影。 - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSCX78-8-q0&t=0s) 影片展现了极具童趣的微观叙事，小男孩角色与单个原子球进行接抛、拍打弹跳及蹦床起舞等互动。 - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSCX78-8-q0&t=0s) 短片全程无对白解说，依靠轻快富有节奏感的电子背景音乐推进定格动画流程。 - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSCX78-8-q0&t=0s) 制作团队利用超高精度的扫描隧道显微镜（STM）实现了对单个分子的物理级位移控制。 - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSCX78-8-q0&t=0s) 用于构建动画画面的微观基础材料是数千个一氧化碳分子，每个分子由垂直堆叠的两个原子组成。 - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSCX78-8-q0&t=0s) 由于所操控粒子的尺度极小，动画画面必须放大 1 亿倍肉眼才能清晰分辨。 - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSCX78-8-q0&t=0s) 研究人员在极低温环境下对分子探针进行精确调整，通过逐帧重构微观物理排列完成动画采集。 - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSCX78-8-q0&t=0s) 该影片成功将极端前沿、严肃严谨的纳米物理实验转化为富有创意的视觉艺术表达。 - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSCX78-8-q0&t=0s) 单原子与分子级别的操控能力是 IBM 研发原子级存储（atomic memory）的核心关键技术基础。 - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSCX78-8-q0&t=0s) 这项突破为未来超高密度数据存储介质以及大数据底层架构研究提供了重要的实验支撑与技术积累。 ## Detailed walkthrough ### [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSCX78-8-q0&t=0s) 《男孩与他的原子》：吉尼斯世界纪录认证的世界上最小定格动画 本段视频为 IBM 纳米物理研究团队制作的开创性定格动画微电影《男孩与他的原子：世界上最小的电影》（*A Boy And His Atom: The World's Smallest Movie*）。该片全程没有人物对话与旁白解说，伴随着轻快富有节奏感的电子背景音乐展开。画面中呈现出一位线条简洁的微观“小男孩”角色与一颗“原子”互动，小男孩欢快地拍打并接住原子球、将原子扔在地面上弹跳，甚至跳上一张原子构成的蹦床起舞腾跃。整个影片充满幽默与童趣，将极端前沿的严谨物理实验转变为富有创意的艺术表达。 这部短片获得了吉尼斯世界纪录™认证的“世界上最小的定格动画短片”（World's Smallest Stop-Motion Film）。制作团队利用超高精度的扫描隧道显微镜（Scanning Tunneling Microscope, STM），在零下极低温环境下精确操控数千个一氧化碳分子（每个分子由垂直堆叠的两个原子构成）。由于其尺寸极其微小，画面必须放大 1 亿倍才能被人眼清晰观察。这项工作不仅展现了科学家对微观粒子的操控能力，其核心意义更在于支撑 IBM 在原子尺度数据存储（atomic memory）领域的突破性探索。 ```mermaid flowchart LR accTitle: 原子定格动画制作流程 accDescr: 展示IBM研究人员利用扫描隧道显微镜操纵分子制作定格动画的过程 subgraph 操作与成像 A["扫描隧道显微镜 (STM)"] --> B["逐个移动一氧化碳分子"] B --> C["逐帧采集微观图像"] end subgraph 动画与科研 C --> D["合成定格动画电影"] D --> E["探索原子级存储与大数据"] end ``` - **吉尼斯世界纪录**：被正式认定为“世界上最小的定格动画短片”（World's Smallest Stop-Motion Film）。 - **放大倍数与成像**：影片必须放大 1 亿倍才能被肉眼观看，画面中的每个光点均为扫描隧道显微镜探测到的一氧化碳分子。 - **微观操控材料**：研究人员精确移动了数千个一氧化碳分子，通过微观探针逐帧重构微观粒子的物理排列。 - **科研驱动目标**：操控宇宙中最小的化学元素微粒（原子）的能力，直接服务于 IBM 在未来原子级存储（atomic memory）、高密度数据存储介质以及大数据底层的技术研究。 ## Mentioned IBM, 吉尼斯世界纪录 (Guinness World Records), 《男孩与他的原子：世界上最小的电影》 (A Boy And His Atom: The World's Smallest Movie), 扫描隧道显微镜 (Scanning Tunneling Microscope, STM), 一氧化碳分子, 原子存储 (Atomic memory) ## Video description You're about to see the movie that holds the Guinness World Records™ record for the World's Smallest Stop-Motion Film (see how it was made at http://youtu.be/xA4QWwaweWA). The ability to move single atoms — the smallest particles of any element in the universe — is crucial to IBM's research in the field of atomic memory. But even nanophysicists need to have a little fun. In that spirit, IBM researchers used a scanning tunneling microscope to move thousands of carbon monoxide molecules (two atoms stacked on top of each other), all in pursuit of making a movie so small it can be seen only when you magnify it 100 million times. A movie made with atoms. Learn more about atomic memory, data storage and big data at http://www.ibm.com/madewithatoms [Source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSCX78-8-q0)

Original transcript

[0:00] Music. . . *music* *music* *music* you you . *music* *music*