Maybe you science people can help me figure this out. The Daily Mail recently posted a news story titled “Single molecule, one million times smaller than a grain of sand, pictured for the first time”. My question is: what the hell does that mean?
How can something be “one million times smaller” than anything? Is small a measurement? What is twice as small as I am? Or twelve times as small as a planet? Is it a redneck term for mass? Are they saying it is a percentage of another object? As far as I know, small is a descriptive and relational term that has zero scientific meaning. Maybe I’ve gone crazy, but it just doesn’t make any sense.
At this time I would like to say that I’m 3.6 times smaller than Darth Vader, but I smell twice as nice.
I’m sure that the term was only used to give the non-scientific reader an impressive perspective on just how small the molecule is. In an actual scientific publication more precise (and confusing!) language would be used.
Also, this is awesome news! Imagery of single molecules? Amazing!!
What an E.