5 ms·

Or the case of the optician Achim Leistner [1]. He had to be brought out of retirement for the kilogram replacement project, as no-one else could feel atomic s

by femto 10y ago

Or the case of the optician Achim Leistner [1]. He had to be brought out of retirement for the kilogram replacement project, as no-one else could feel atomic scale irregularities. His employer is no longer looking for a replacement optician, as the lab in which he worked has been closed [2]. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achim_Leistner https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achim_Leistner [2] http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/a-thing-of-beauty-csiro-scientists-bemoan-loss-of-worldleading-technology-20160223-gn1upg.html http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/a-thing-of-beauty-...

aggie 10y ago
Fascinating. Is there an explanation for his 'atomic feeling'? Doesn't seem possible. And if it's more accurate than machine measurements, how do they determine that?
- segmondy 10y ago
  yeah, experience, tons of it.
- Mtinie 10y ago
  The best hypothesis that I've been able to piece together from various description of these types of "feelings" is that the individual exhibit very specialized forms of visual synesthesia.
dekhn 10y ago
Within every realm of human sense, there are a small number of people who have a much higher degree of sensitivity than the average person. Average people can already detect 10 nanometer irregularities on hard surfaces, so it's not surprising that an expert can detect 1-5 nanometers. The physics, chemistry, and biology of the fingers and brain are consistent with this observation. How this arises is intriguing- I'd guess (and only a guess) that it's a combination of inherent sensitivity and experience.