Silksong Fan Creates World’s Smallest Hornet Using Electrons
▼ Summary
– A Silksong fan used advanced Electron Beam Lithography to create an extremely tiny drawing of Hornet, measuring about four microns wide.
– The process involved firing electrons at a resist material called ZEP520A, altering its solubility to form the microscopic artwork.
– The drawing is roughly 1/5 the width of a silk strand or 2 bacteria long, making it 8,000 times smaller than a true-scale Hornet.
– The ZEP520A material’s documentation includes humorously simple instructions like “bake for 3 minutes at 180C,” resembling a cooking recipe.
– The r/Silksong subreddit continues to showcase creative and eccentric behavior, from microscopic art to Deltarune prophecies and SteamDB tracking.
While most gamers pass the time waiting for highly anticipated releases by replaying classics or exploring new titles, one dedicated Silksong fan took creativity to microscopic levels. Using cutting-edge technology typically reserved for scientific applications, they crafted what might be the smallest depiction of Hornet ever made, visible only under powerful magnification.
The project began when Reddit user rous6, active on the Silksong subreddit, decided to channel their anticipation into something extraordinary. Instead of traditional art tools, they employed electron beam lithography, a high-precision technique that etches patterns by directing a focused beam of electrons onto a specialized material called ZEP520A. This process alters the material’s solubility, allowing intricate designs to emerge after exposure to a solvent.
For those unfamiliar with the science, imagine drawing with an incredibly fine-tipped pen, except instead of ink, it uses charged particles, and the “paper” reacts chemically to create permanent marks. The result? A minuscule Hornet silhouette measuring just four microns wide, roughly 1/5 the width of a silk strand or the length of two bacteria placed end-to-end. To put that in perspective, it’s nearly 8,000 times smaller than the actual character from the game.
Amid the technical marvel, there’s an amusing contrast between the advanced process and the surprisingly mundane steps involved. The ZEP520A instructions include baking the material at 180°C for three minutes, a detail that feels more at home in a kitchen than a lab.
This isn’t the first time the Silksong community has embraced eccentric projects to cope with the wait. From meme-fueled prophecies inspired by Deltarune to obsessive tracking of SteamDB updates, fans have found increasingly inventive ways to stay engaged. At least this latest endeavor showcases genuine skill, and, thankfully, doesn’t involve any more fictional sacrifices.
Whether it’s a testament to patience, boredom, or sheer devotion, this microscopic Hornet stands as a quirky yet impressive intersection of gaming fandom and nanotechnology. Who knows what the community will dream up next while awaiting Hollow Knight’s elusive sequel?
(Source: PCGAMER)
