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This is an image of a snowflake, at 1860x zoom as seen under a Scanning Electron Microscope. Here’s a low-temperature SEM magnification series for the snow crystal, between 93x and 3600x zoom.

Amidst the myriad collection of bizarre USB-powered devices that exist today, this has got to be the strangest one I’ve come across - a USB Mini Fridge that can cool up to one can of soda to 8.5 degrees centigrade (about 47F) in about 5 minutes. A possible gag gift for $33, but it definitely promises to relieve weary cubicle-dwellers from the dependence on vending machines.

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University are pushing the lower limits of robotics design by pursuing the task of building robots that can literally walk on water. These water striding robots weigh just 10 grams, and use Teflon-coated legs to repel water. DC Servo Micro-motors (commonly found in smaller electronic devices like pagers) power these robots.

Difficult as it may seem, achieving balance on the water surface may not be the most daunting task at all - more likely, the challenge is going to lie in maintaining that balance over surface tension while initiating and coordinating the move. In fact, these robots can even walk backwards, going one step beyond the water strider insect that they emulate.

Watch a video of these robot designs on EngineeringTV.