{found in the margins}

A Different Type of Graffiti

This is a members-only episode of Found in the Margins, short bonus stories released on Patreon between full episodes.

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{show notes}

Hidden inside the brains of old computers, where no one was ever meant to look, there are microscopic works of art.

In this episode:

  • The tiny blank spaces on early microchips that became canvases for engineers
  • Chip art as copyright protection before the 1984 Semiconductor Chip Protection Act
  • How Michael W. Davidson spotted a surprise under a microscope and began cataloging a hidden zoo

Episode Music:

Explore the Silicon Zoo

Davidson, M. W. (2015, November 13). The Silicon Zoo. Molecular Expressions, Florida State University. https://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/creatures/index.html

Additional Reading:

Hartounian, A. (2024, April 16). A new generation is uncovering the tiny doodles left by engineers on old microchips. New Hampshire Public Radio. https://www.nhpr.org/2024-04-16/a-new-generation-is-uncovering-the-tiny-doodles-left-by-engineers-on-old-microchips

Jensen, K.T. (2016, August 1). Cool images hidden on silicon chips. PCMag. https://www.pcmag.com/news/cool-images-hidden-on-silicon-chips