The age old dilemma: what kind of birthday present do you get for the mad Professor who has everything? Well, the University of Nottingham’s Nanotechnology Center decided to help Professor of chemistry, Martyn Poliakoff celebrate his special day by “etching” a copy of his beloved Periodic Table of Elements onto a single strand of his crazy scientist hair using a “very sophisticated” electron ion beam microscope. The microscope creates a very fine etching of the periodic table only a few microns across by shooting a “focused ion beam” of gallium ions at the hair. The technology here is nothing revolutionary, but it is inspiring to see a grown man get so giddy with the prospect of seeing science in action. Happy birthday, Professor.



