Visualizing Mac OS Commands

A early test for a series of images visualizing the fundamental commands (essentially tiny programs) that run the Mac OS, things like ls, cd, and zsh (above). Bits from the binary files (found in usr/bin) are shown as black or white pixels. Click on the image for a higher-res version, where you can more easily see individual bits.

Electron microscope images of vinyl record grooves

Images of vinyl record grooves taken with an electron microscope by Chris Supranowitz.  Would like to see an entire record’s grooves translated into a 3d model, inverted vertically and printed as a mountain range.

 

And if you thought digital storage was somehow non-physical, the image below is of data stored on a CD – each dot is a 1, with the gaps 0s.  Unlike magnetic media where the information is simply an electronic charge, these pits are visible and tangible.