Buzz
After exploring some of the world’s largest objects, we thought it would be interesting to take a different approach and shrink things down... way down. Everything on this list is human-made and completely functional, just like their regular-sized counterparts.
10. Miniature Gun
As stated on the company’s website, the Swiss MiniGun is “a double-action revolver that includes all the features of a full-sized gun.” True to its name, this tiny gun is crafted in Switzerland—a country known for producing precision watches and clocks, making it no surprise they’d also create a functional pistol the size of a thumb drive.
This six-shot revolver fires 2.3-caliber, 1.97-grain bullets manufactured by the same company, producing a slight but noticeable recoil as it discharges these small projectiles at a muzzle velocity of approximately 400 feet per second. This speed is comparable to that of an average child’s BB gun, delivering a similar potential for damage.
Of course, there are still some who are concerned, so to speak, about the potential for the weapon’s concealability, which is, we suppose, a reasonable point. Even the smallest, slowest projectiles can cause injury or kill when positioned correctly, and while it may resemble a keychain, the Swiss MiniGun is undeniably a firearm—the tiniest in existence.
9. Model Train Set
The miniature countryside scene above is impressive in its incredibly small scale, but take a closer look—there’s a train track, with a five-car train circling it endlessly. It’s the world’s smallest model train, and it was built by New Jersey’s model train enthusiast David Smith for only $12.
Part of a much larger post-modern endeavor, this project includes another expansive train set—a detailed model village with a miniature model shop. Within this shop, you’ll find even smaller models. Powered by a tiny motor, just 5 centimeters (2 inches) in size, it’s all constructed from plastic, each part meticulously carved by hand. The motor itself is so small it seems almost impossible to believe, especially when you see the hand holding the finished work in the image above.
Smith explains that the entire project, which he has dubbed "James River Branch," will take him around two and a half years to complete. He insists it will be "incredibly impressive" once finished—an understatement, to say the least. The village is being constructed on a 1:220 scale, while the tiniest model train in the world is being built at an even more minuscule 1:35,200 scale. You can check out a video of it in motion here.
8. Car
Originally produced between 1962 and 1965, the Peel P50 Microcar drew attention again when 6’5″ Jeremy Clarkson drove one in a 2008 episode of the famous British show, Top Gear. The world’s smallest production car, it was sold in the UK for roughly £200. With a 49cc engine, it featured a three-speed manual transmission (but no reverse gear), and it was built with only three wheels. Its minimalistic design included one seat, one door, one windshield wiper, and a single headlight.
Originally, only about 50 of these were produced. However, with the resurgence of interest in compact cars (not to mention its feature on Top Gear), the brand was revived after a 50-year break. The new Peels are nearly identical to the original models, now available in both gas and electric versions. The P50 can reach speeds of up to 72 kilometers per hour (45 mph), compared to the original's top speed of around 56 kph (35 mph). Meanwhile, the slightly larger two-headlight Trident model can achieve speeds of 69 kph (43 mph). The P50 measures just 137 centimeters (54 in) in length—less than 1.6 meters (5.5 ft).
You're probably wondering: How efficient are they on fuel? The gasoline-powered P50 can achieve over 241 kilometers (150 miles) per gallon, while the Trident model offers an impressive 338 kilometers per gallon (210 mpg)—a great figure, though it’s worth noting that the gas tank is about the size of what you’d find in a typical lawnmower. Oddly enough, the company's website doesn't provide any details on the gas tank’s capacity.
7. Camera
In 2011, researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany unveiled a revolutionary disposable camera. While it may not sound groundbreaking at first, its potential for medical use—specifically capturing images inside the human body—makes it highly valuable. What’s remarkable about this camera is its incredibly small size, measuring just one cubic millimeter, roughly the size of a grain of coarse salt. These inexpensive, easy-to-manufacture cameras have the ability to enter the body, enabling a unique medical application.
These cameras are designed for one-time use in medical procedures. Although their resolution is far from impressive (0.06 megapixels—much lower than even a basic cell phone), it suffices for their intended purpose. Their compact size allows them to access parts of the body that no other camera could reach. (Yes, the image above shows a syringe.)
Additionally, these tiny cameras might serve as a cost-effective alternative to traditional endoscopes, which can be expensive and difficult to maintain. It won’t be long before such miniature image sensors start appearing in consumer devices as well. Given the technological breakthroughs of the past decade or two, it's highly probable that their resolution will improve dramatically in the near future.
6. Personal Computer
In related news, FXI Technologies from Norway has introduced a true personal microcomputer. The device shown in the image is not merely a USB drive; in fact, it features a micro USB port on the machine itself. This is the FXI Cotton Candy, a fully functional PC capable of running either Android or Ubuntu operating systems.
Specifications? Absolutely: featuring a 1.2 GHz dual-core ARM main processor and a 1 GHz quad-core ARM graphics processor, accompanied by 1 GB of RAM and a micro SD card slot supporting up to 64 GB of storage. FXI will pre-load it with the operating system of your choice, and it includes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and full 1080p HD video output.
You can easily connect a keyboard and mouse combo to the micro USB port, and it connects seamlessly to any standard HD display as demonstrated in this video. As for the price, it’s listed as $200 on the company website. The video showcases the device running Android and flawlessly playing a full HD video file. Considering we now have affordable, compact personal computers that are smaller than our thumbs, it’s safe to say we’re officially in ‘the future’ era.
5. Ocean-Faring Vessel
Sven Yrvind, a master boat builder from Sweden, is respected worldwide, and his age (74 as of 2013) doesn’t deter his bold plans. He’s constructing a boat to sail around the world, but not just any boat—the smallest ocean-faring vessel ever built, approximately the size of a large hot tub. In this vessel, Sven plans to circumnavigate the globe non-stop, without docking, within a year and a half.
Sven argues that the boat’s compact size doesn’t add risk to the journey, since bigger vessels carry more mass that can cause greater disruption when the sea is rough. His boat, he claims, is built to be tossed, pitched, and even capsized—only to resurface like a cork. It’s a 1.5-ton fiberglass structure crammed into just three meters (10 feet), but it still floats like a cork.
The boat runs on gel batteries, a foot crank, and harnesses energy from both wind and solar power. It also collects and purifies rainwater. Sven is carrying just enough food—800 pounds of muesli and sardines—for the journey. Why attempt to sail the globe in such a tiny boat? Sven explains, “I want to show that it’s possible to live happily in a small space... We need to return to nature. We need to listen to our inner voice.” We wish him the best and hope he doesn’t grow tired of that voice along the way.
4. Television Screen
In 2007, Guinness World Records awarded the title of the smallest television screen to the ME1602 by the Scottish company MicroEmissive. Despite rapid technological advances, this record still stands today.
Admittedly, the resolution isn't impressive. Given that the display has an area of about 4×3 millimeters, you can only fit so many pixels in there (160×120—just shy of 30,000 pixels).
These miniature displays are primarily used as components in devices like viewfinders and other tools that require incredibly compact embedded screens. In August 2013, the company inked a lucrative deal with an ‘unnamed Asian consumer-products manufacturer’ to supply them with displays. There have also been inquiries from the medical sector, as well as the military.
For those wondering (we definitely were), we ran the numbers: Recall the largest video screen in the world from our previous list? You could fit 283,333,333 of the tiniest screens in existence inside it.
3. Artificial Heart
At last, we come to this tiny device, developed by Dr. Robert Jarvik—the man often credited with the invention and refinement of the artificial heart. And that's exactly what this small, battery-sized gadget is: the world’s smallest artificial heart, designed for the world’s tiniest artificial heart recipient.
The 16-month-old infant was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, a progressive heart wall condition, and was waiting for a transplant. But with no donor available right away, the doctors had to improvise. Jarvik’s device, a pump weighing only 11 grams (compared to an adult artificial heart at 900 grams), had only been tested in animals. (It's connected to tubes that run outside the body, which increases the risk of infection.) However, in May 2012, with no other option, the doctors decided to remove the baby’s heart and replace it with the device seen above, where it stayed for 13 days.
That’s how long it took for a suitable transplant donor to be found, and while the device wouldn’t have kept the patient alive forever, the doctors involved believe this could certainly be the future. We think that's an understatement. Given how rapidly technology is shrinking, it’s entirely possible we’ll see a RoboHeart the size of a shot glass, with a 300-year warranty, available on shelves before we reach the age where we might need one.
2. Drone
Yes, it technically qualifies as a drone, but the RoboBee is precisely what its name suggests: an incredibly small drone, directly inspired by insect biology. And it holds a range of fascinating potential uses beyond mere surveillance.
For example, it's easy to picture swarms of robotic bees playing a crucial role in assessing hazardous environments—think of a nuclear plant disaster or a natural calamity, or even search-and-rescue missions. Researchers at Harvard, where the RoboBee was created, also foresee applications in weather and traffic monitoring, climate mapping, and other established technologies that drones could enhance.
On a related note, you may have heard about the decline in real honeybee populations, which could lead to significant ecological challenges. This concern might be alleviated if we can deploy large swarms of artificial bees, designed to pollinate just like their natural counterparts—a task that the RoboBee is more than capable of performing.
1. Jet Airplane
Between the late 1960s and mid-1970s, the Bede Aircraft Corporation, a small company founded by US plane designer Jim Bede, produced a kit for a compact aircraft that sold over 5,000 units. This aircraft, the Bede BD-5J, holds the title of the smallest jet-powered aircraft ever made, weighing in at just over 350 pounds.
Though the company eventually went bankrupt and discontinued production, only a few hundred of the kits were completed. These planes, however, are surprisingly well-built, fully operational jet planes capable of reaching speeds of up to 483 kilometers per hour (300 mph) thanks to 225 pounds of thrust from its Sermel TRS 18 Microturbo jet engine. The BD-5J became a popular sight at airshows during the '80s, even making appearances in beer commercials and the opening scene of the James Bond film Octopussy.
Specifications varied depending on the model, but typically, the BD-5J featured a wingspan of four to six meters (14–20 ft), a maximum takeoff weight of around 1,000 pounds, a range of approximately 483 kilometers (300 mi), and a maximum cruising altitude of 7,010 meters (23,000 ft)—impressive for a commercial jet, but (we can imagine) absolutely terrifying in an aircraft no larger than a typical sedan.
