19 Smallest Things In The World

From a human’s perspective, small can be anything from a single-cell organism to miniature replicas of much larger things. We once thought that atoms were the building blocks of everything around us. But then, the protons, electrons, and neutrons opened a whole new world on the smallest scale.

And just as we started to entertain the thought that these are fundamental particles, researchers showed that neutrons and protons themselves are made of multiple quarks.

So, as far as we know, quarks and leptons (a family of elementary particles that includes electrons) are the smallest, most fundamental matter in the universe. But what about other common entities in the world? 

Below is a list of the smallest things in existence, from microscopic organisms to quantum particles; miniature technologies to tiny works of art. 

Did you know? 

Despite the small size of microorganisms, they play important roles in various ecosystems. Estimates suggest that there are at least one trillion species of microorganisms, only 10 percent of which have been identified.  

19. Smallest Artwork

The smallest hand-made artwork is a sculpture of a human embryo that measures only 0.0782 millimeters in length and 0.0538 millimeters in width. It was created by a renowned microsculptor, Willard Wigan. 

This sculpture is placed inside a hollowed-out strand of Wigan’s hair. It is exquisitely detailed and can only be viewed through a microscope. 

18. Smallest Satellite

Smallest SatelliteCredit: Cornell University

While the title of the smallest satellite is often debated due to the various nature and classifications of satellites, there is one strong contender for the title: CubeSats. 

As the name suggests, CubeSats are cube-shaped satellites that generally measure 10 centimeters on each side. They are generally deployed in groups and can vary in size, with some being even smaller than the standard 10*10*10 cm dimensions. 

For example, Sprite ChipSat, developed by Cornell University’s Space Systems Design Studio, measures 3.5 *3.5*0.75 cm and weighs 4.2 grams. It has its own power systems, sensors, and and communications subsystems. 

17. Smallest Known Star 

Focused image of EBLM J0555-57A and B captured with the Leonhard Euler Telescope

EBLM J0555-57Ab is the smallest known star in the universe. Located nearly 670 light-years from Earth, it is a part of a triple star system. 

While its exact size is still subject to ongoing observations and research, it has been estimated to have a diameter slightly bigger than that of Saturn. 

Its mass is estimated to be about 85 times that of Jupiter, which is sufficient to enable hydrogen fusion in its core. Over time, it will continue to burn its hydrogen fuel and eventually evolve into a white dwarf. 

16. Smallest Volcano

The Cuexcomate volcano in Puebla, Mexico, is the world’s smallest volcano, at just 43 feet in height. Its last eruption occurred in 1664. 

Unlike its larger counterparts, it is classified as a “geyser cone,” formed by the accumulation of volcanic material around a vent. Within the cone, there is a central crater measuring 26 feet wide and 56 feet deep, with the bottom extending 13 meters below ground level. 

Due to its inactive status, it has become a tourist spot. People can descend into its crater through a spiral staircase and marvel at its unique geological features. 

15. Smallest Continent

Australia is the world’s smallest continent, covering an area of approximately 3.3 million square miles. It is also the flattest, lowest, and second-driest continent (after Antarctica) of the seven traditional continents. 

Australia is endowed with abundant natural resources, including iron ore, coal, natural gas, gold, and agricultural products. Iron ore mining and coal mining are the two biggest exporting industries.

As of 2024, it is the 14th-largest economy in the world in terms of nominal GDP. It also has the 2nd highest HDI globally — the country is known for its high standard of living, access to healthcare, education, and social welfare programs.  

14. Smallest Human Organ

Located deep within the brain, the pineal gland is the smallest human organ. It produces melatonin, a hormone that controls sleep-wake cycles and influences circadian rhythms. 

The pineal gland is about 8 millimeters long and 4 millimeters wide and weighs about 0.1 grams in adults. Sometimes, it is referred to as the “third eye” due to its location in the brain and its association with spiritual and metaphysical concepts.  

13. Smallest Book

According to Guinness World Records, “Teeny Ted from Turnip Town” is the smallest reproduction of a printed book. It is created in the Nano Imaging Laboratory at Simon Fraser University in Canada. 

Measuring just 0.07 by 0.10 millimeters, this is an incredibly small book, with each page containing text and illustrations that can only be read under a microscope. Despite its tiny size, the book manages to tell a complete story, complete with plot, characters, and illustrations. 

12. Smallest Cannon

According to the Guinness World Records, the smallest working cannon in the world measures only 15 micrometers by 5 micrometers by 5 micrometers.

It was designed by a group of researchers, including Stuart Ibsen, Joseph Wang, and Sadik Esener, among others. They created this tiny cannon as part of a study aiming to develop futuristic microscopic cannons for injecting medicine directly into patients’ skin tissue.

11. Smallest Gun

Image Courtesy: Swissminigun.ch

The record for the world’s smallest (functional) revolver goes to Miniature Revolver C1ST. It was designed by SwissMiniGun, a Switzerland-based company. According to the company, this tiny gun works just like a standard firearm.

Measuring no more than 5.5 centimeters in length, it fires 2.34-millimeter caliber rounds with a muzzle velocity of around 121 meters per second. The bullet (muzzle) energy it generates is about 0.97 joules or roughly 0.71 foot pounds.

Since only a limited number of C1ST revolvers have been made, most of them are kept by collectors.

10. Smallest Surviving Infant

Weighing just 245 grams at the time of the birth, Akel, nicknamed Saybie by doctors and nurses, was the world’s smallest surviving infant. She was born at Sharp Mary Birch Hospital in San Diego, California.

According to the University of Iowa’s Tiniest Babies Registry, Akel was seven grams less than the previous title holder at the time of her birth.

Akel was delivered after only 23 weeks and three days in her mother’s womb, far shorter than the typical 40-week pregnancy duration, which is around nine months.

Another miracle happened in June 2020. A baby girl, Kwek Yu Xuan, was born almost four months prematurely in Singapore. She weighed only 212 grams and measured 24 centimeters long. She spent nearly 13 months in the hospital, relying on machines and receiving intensive treatment to survive.

9. Smallest Production Car

1965 Peel P50 at the Lane Motor Museum In Nashville

The world’s smallest car, the Peel P50, is a three-wheeled, single-seater microcar. It was initially manufactured by the Peel Engineering Company in the 1960s for commercial purposes.

The car measures just 1.3 meters in length and weighs a mere 59 kilograms. It features only one door on its left side, a single central headlight, and a windshield wiper.

In 2010, the Peel P50 made it into the Guinness World Records when Peel Engineering Ltd. (rebranded) resumed its production.

Several modifications have been made to the car’s mechanical parts to comply with road regulations. This includes updates to the suspension, drive-train, and the addition of a functional reverse gear, which was absent in the original version.

The car is offered in both petrol and electric models, both with a maximum speed of 45 km/h. In 2016, one of just 46 Peel P50 was sold for $176,000 in an auction. In 2022, another model was sold for £111,000

8. Smallest Fish

A mature male Photocorynus spiniceps, a type of anglerfish, typically measures between 6.2 to 7.3 millimeters in length, making it the smallest known mature fish species and vertebrate. In contrast, female individuals of this species can grow up to 50 millimeters.

Anglerfish species, including the P. spiniceps, exhibit a unique behavior known as parasitism. In this relationship, smaller males rely on much larger females for their survival. 

7. Smallest Horse

Bombel, affectionately known as “Bubble,” holds the title for the world’s smallest male horse, standing at just 56.7 centimeters tall. He is a miniature Appaloosa, a North American horse breed known for its black spots, born and raised in Poland. Even at two months old, Bombel appeared exceptionally small for a miniature horse, despite both of his parents being of normal size.

The smallest horse on record was Thumbelina, who stood at 43 centimeters tall. Sadly, Thumbelina passed away in 2018.

6. Smallest Computer

In 2015, the University of Michigan unveiled the world’s tiniest computer, the Michigan Micro Mote (M3), measuring just half a centimeter. The M3 carries a solar cell that produces 20nW (nanowatt), enough for the device to run uninterrupted under suitable conditions. While on standby, the device consumes as little as 2 nA.

Each M3 computer features as many as eight layers that perform different functions. These layers can be interchanged or tweaked to achieve a new sensing system.

The Michigan Micro Mote can be used as a motion detector, pressure sensor, and temperature sensor. Currently, its effective range is about 2 meters.

In 2018, Michigan researchers came up with something extraordinary — they developed a tiny device that could revolutionize cancer monitoring and treatment. The device measures just 0.3 millimeters, smaller than a grain of rice. 

This new world’s smallest computer has several use cases, including monitoring biochemical processes, tracking oil reservoirs, and detecting pressure changes in the eye for diagnosing glaucoma.  

5. Smallest Primate

Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur at Kirindy Forest Reserve (Madagascar)

Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur, also known as Berthe’s mouse lemur, is the world’s smallest primate, with an average body length of 9.5 centimeters, tail length of 13 centimeters, and weight of 30.6 grams. The species is found exclusively in the island country of Madagascar.

At the time of its discovery, Berthe’s mouse lemur was misidentified as a Pygmy mouse lemur, an identical but slightly larger species of mouse lemur. It is now believed that Microcebus berthae has undergone extensive speciation.

The species is listed as endangered in the Red List of Threatened Species due to large-scale deforestation in and near its habitat.

4. Smallest Radio

In 2007, a team of researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, designed a one-of-a-kind radio receiver out of a carbon nanotube measuring just 100 micrometers in length and 10 micrometers in diameter. It remains the world’s smallest radio to date.

Being the tiniest, the nanotube radio certainly works in a much different manner than conventional radio. Here, all the functions are carried out by a single nanotube, which is placed between two electrodes.

Not only can it tune into a radio signal, but it also demodulates and amplifies it. The audio is played using an external speaker. 

3. Smallest Camera (Image Sensor)

World’s smallest camera | Image Courtesy: OmniVision

The record for the world’s smallest camera goes to OmniVision OV6948, developed by OmniVision Technologies Inc., a California-based digital imaging solution. The camera measures 0.65 x 0.65 x 1.158 mm, while its tiny sensor is just 0.575 x 0.575 x 0.232 mm.

Despite its size, the camera features a resolution of 200 x 200, with each pixel measuring just 1.75 micrometers across. It produces color images using an RGB Bayer filter

The OmniVision OV6948 is specifically designed to operate in incredibly tight spaces, even within the intricate network of human veins. The camera’s minimal power usage and heat output mean surgeons can perform operations for longer durations without discomforting the patients.

2. Smallest Atom

Once thought to be the smallest thing in the universe, atoms came into existence shortly after the Big Bang, on a cosmic scale. Atoms consist of three particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons.

The lightest atom known to us in terms of mass is hydrogen. It comprises one electron and one proton, giving it an atomic weight of 1.008. Hydrogen is the lightest element in the universe.

1. Smallest Particle

The standard model of Elementary particles

We have discussed that quarks and electrons are the smallest known particles in the universe.  So far, researchers have been able to identify six types or flavors of quarks, namely, up (u), down (d), charm (c), strange (s), top (t), and bottom (b). Multiple quarks bond together to form subatomic composite particles known as hadrons.

Protons and neutrons are the two most common types of hadrons that have an odd number of quarks (three), also known as baryons. For instance, a proton carries one down quark and two up quarks. Out of all six quarks, up and down quarks have the lowest masses.

The quark model was initially suggested (independently) by American physicists George Zweig and Murray Gell-Mann in 1964.

Unlike protons and neutrons, electrons are elementary particles and belong to a broader category of fundamental particles called leptons. Electrons are approximately 1,837 times less massive than protons.

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Written by
Bipro Das

I am a content writer and researcher with over seven years of experience covering all gaming and anime topics. I also have a keen interest in the retail sector and often write about the business models/strategies of popular brands.

I started content writing after completing my graduation. After writing tech-related things and other long-form content for 2-3 years, I found my calling with games and anime. Now, I get to find new games and write features and previews.

When not writing for RankRed, I usually prefer reading investing books or immersing myself in Europa Universalis 4. But I am currently interested in some new JRPGs as well.

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2 comments
  • SmallPpDepress says:

    probably has a good personality

  • In the beginning, in physics, it was believed that the smallest constituent particle of matter was a molecule. After a series of discoveries in the field of chemistry, it became clear that the composition of molecules is discrete, that is, they consist of some particles, which, later, were called atoms. The atom was considered a whole and indivisible particle until the phenomenon of ionization was discovered. Then it became clear that the atom is also a composite particle and must consist of positively and negatively charged particles.
    After Joseph Thomson’s discovery of the electron, a planetary model of the atom’s structure came to light, which was confirmed in many experiments by other scientists. Now we know that the atom is somewhat more complex than the structure described by Rutherford. At the center of the atom is the nucleus, which, again, was thought to be indivisible. But that wasn’t the case. After the discovery of radioactivity by the Curies, it became clear that the nucleus was also a compound particle. And it consists of nucleons – protons and neutrons. At this stage, the complete picture of composite particles was formed: proton, neutron, electron.