# How small can you go **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [March 6, 2013, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-small-can-you-go/652213 "2013-03-06T18:38:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2013, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-small-can-you-go/652213/1 "2013-03-06T18:38:46Z")
Pretty small it seems. I added the {sup} tags (but with ) to a postscript I posted and just for the heck of it I put the {sup} tags around _that_. And again, and again. It keeps getting smaller. Just thought I’d share. This is a sentence. [sup]This is a sentence.[/sup] [sup][sup]This is a sentence.[/sup][/sup] [sup][sup][sup]This is a sentence.[/sup][/sup][/sup] [sup][sup][sup][sup]This is a sentence.[/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup] [sup][sup][sup][sup][sup]This is a sentence.[/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup] ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2013, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-small-can-you-go/652213/2 "2013-03-06T18:51:50Z")
Are you sure? The last five show the same size to me. ---
**Author:** ![bldysabba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@bldysabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bldysabba)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2013, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-small-can-you-go/652213/3 "2013-03-06T18:54:09Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > Are you sure? The last five show the same size to me. I see six "This is a sentence"s and each one is smaller than the last ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2013, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-small-can-you-go/652213/4 "2013-03-06T18:57:34Z")
Depends how cold the water is. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2013, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-small-can-you-go/652213/5 "2013-03-06T18:57:34Z")
> [@White SIFL](#): > > Pretty small it seems. I added the {sup} tags (but with ) to a postscript I posted and just for the heck of it I put the {sup} tags around _that_. And again, and again. It keeps getting smaller. Just thought I’d share. > > This is a sentence. > > [sup]This is a sentence.[/sup] > > [sup][sup]This is a sentence.[/sup][/sup] > > [sup][sup][sup]This is a sentence.[/sup][/sup][/sup] > > [sup][sup][sup][sup]This is a sentence.[/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup] > > [sup][sup][sup][sup][sup]This is a sentence.[/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup] [sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup]This is another sentence.[/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup] [sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup]This is another sentence.[/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup] ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2013, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-small-can-you-go/652213/6 "2013-03-06T19:19:54Z")
Text attributes are browser dependent. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2013, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-small-can-you-go/652213/7 "2013-03-06T19:42:31Z")
Firefox Portable 19.0.1 here. I see progressively smaller fonts in all examples above. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2013, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-small-can-you-go/652213/8 "2013-03-06T20:34:30Z")
[sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup]If you can read this you’re too damn close.[/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup] tried to do 20. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2013, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-small-can-you-go/652213/9 "2013-03-06T20:49:49Z")
[sub][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup]If you can read this you don’t need glasses (or your browser doesn’t render it right:p).[/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sub] ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2013, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-small-can-you-go/652213/10 "2013-03-06T21:06:42Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > [sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup]If you can read this you’re too damn close.[/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup] > tried to do 20. The extra tags on this reminded me of the episode of BBT where Leonard opts out of the friendship clause in the roommate agreement. **Leonard**'sup. **Sheldon**'sup. ---
**Author:** ![jools](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b3f665/32.png) [@jools](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jools)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2013, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-small-can-you-go/652213/11 "2013-03-06T21:28:43Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Depends how cold the water is. 😃 Again a mess to clean up and esplainin’ to do !!! damn you Leaffan ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2013, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-small-can-you-go/652213/12 "2013-03-07T22:13:26Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > [sub][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup]If you can read this you don’t need glasses (or your browser doesn’t render it right:p).[/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sub] I’m viewing this on an iPad and if I ‘stretch’ the screen out to the max it renders it quite clearly. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2013, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-small-can-you-go/652213/13 "2013-03-07T22:17:02Z")
> [@White SIFL](#): > > I’m viewing this on an iPad and if I ‘stretch’ the screen out to the max it renders it quite clearly. Using the zoom function? :smack: That’s cheating!:mad:⭕( Btw you can do that in most any browser, it’s not Ipad exclusive.😉 [sub][sub][sub][sub][sub][sub][sub][sub][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup]Try zooming in on this.[/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sub][/sub][/sub][/sub][/sub][/sub][/sub][/sub] 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2013, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-small-can-you-go/652213/14 "2013-03-07T22:36:45Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > [sub][sub][sub][sub][sub][sub][sub][sub][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup]Try zooming in on this.[/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sub][/sub][/sub][/sub][/sub][/sub][/sub][/sub] 😃 I did zoom in on that. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Michael63129](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@Michael63129](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael63129)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2013, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-small-can-you-go/652213/15 "2013-03-07T22:38:07Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > [sub][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup][sup]If you can read this you don’t need glasses (or your browser doesn’t render it right:p).[/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sup][/sub] I don’t see how that can even be rendered with a proper font; here is what it looks like when zoomed in (no, not the browser zoom, I used MS Paint to zoom in 500%, which just enlarges the pixels used to display it; in this case, 2 pixels high, plus one for descenders): [http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=kaiogg&s=6](http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=kaiogg&s=6) I also noticed that in the OP, the sentences aren’t evenly shrunk; that is, the second “This is a sentence” is clearly smaller than the first but the next one is only slightly smaller, with the fourth again being much smaller (two near the same size with the second one a bit smaller, then two more much smaller, and so on). ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2013, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-small-can-you-go/652213/16 "2013-03-07T23:06:17Z")
> [@White SIFL](#): > > I did zoom in on that. > 😉 Ipads must render it differently than chrome, because at 500% it’s still tiny in chrome. > [@Michael63129](#): > > I don’t see how that can even be rendered with a proper font; here is what it looks like when zoomed in (no, not the browser zoom, I used MS Paint to zoom in 500%, which just enlarges the pixels used to display it; in this case, 2 pixels high, plus one for descenders): Browser zoom rerenders the text as you move in and out. It’s how truetype fonts work. ---
**Author:** ![gnarshredder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@gnarshredder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnarshredder)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2013, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-small-can-you-go/652213/17 "2013-03-07T23:09:53Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Depends how cold the water is. LOLOLOL I was gonna say that but I decided against it! ---
**Author:** ![dexter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dc4da7/32.png) [@dexter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dexter)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2013, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-small-can-you-go/652213/18 "2013-03-07T23:20:23Z")
If you’re old school (like me), you just copy and paste to notepad. Notepad don’t know what’s sup. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2013, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-small-can-you-go/652213/19 "2013-03-08T03:30:28Z")
The sentences in the OP and the other tests all look the same size to me. But I wonder, if you can get it small enough, can it be read by the next universe down in size from us? A message in the sky? ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2013, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-small-can-you-go/652213/20 "2013-03-08T23:45:28Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > The sentences in the OP and the other tests all look the same size to me. > > But I wonder, if you can get it small enough, can it be read by the next universe down in size from us? A message in the sky? Maybe if you can get it down small enough to fit on a grain of rice. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-small-can-you-go/652213.md?page=2)