Ever wonder what the world’s sharpest thing is? Using an electron microscope, researchers at the University of Alberta have created what may be the world’s sharpest man-made object. They are measuring one atom thick and fashioned it with an incredibly fine tip. As the world’s sharpest man-made object, it’s as pointy as a needle. Its sharpness can measured in millimeters. Scientists believe it could be the ultimate tool to cut metals, manipulate molecules, or look at small particles.
Glass is not sharp but it is strong despite the lack of natural planes. Many natural glass materials, including obsidian are sharp. People have been using obsidian as a blade since the Stone Age, and modern obsidian scalpels are manufactured by a Virginia archeologist using a pressure flaking process. In a typical instance, an obsidian blade can be used between ten and twenty times before it needs to be discarded.
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