Two major UK landmarks now count among the world's smallest objects thanks to a team from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. Scientists & engineers specialising in miniaturisation technology have recreated North East England's Angel of the North and the Tyne Bridge so they are smaller than a pinhead and invisible to the naked eye. The team used a combination of chemistry, physics and mechanical engineering techniques to create the tiny structures. Both are created out of silicon, the material used to make microchips. They are around 400 microns wide and their details can only be seen through a microscope. The technology used to develop the bridge and the angel could be used to make miniaturised antennae for next-generation mobile phones. These so-called chip antennae will significantly reduce the power consumption and cost of production of mobile communication devices. The fact that these structures can be made in silicon is an important feature as this allows the integration of moving mechanical parts and smart materials with standard components used in the microelectronics and semiconductor industries. The scientists, who are based at INEX (Innovation in Nanotechnology Exploitation), the engineering & commercialisation arm of the Institute for Nanoscale Science & Technology at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, undertook the project to showcase their expertise in an emerging technological field, micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS), in an interesting way.