Miniature Rubik’s Cube Unveiled in Japan #

A Japanese toymaker has introduced an incredibly small version of the Rubik’s Cube, so tiny that it might require tweezers to manipulate. The miniature puzzle, made from aluminum, measures approximately 5 millimeters (0.2 inches) across each face.

The micro-cube is the result of a collaboration between the toymaker and a precision cutting company. It weighs a mere 0.3 grams (0.01 ounces), making it about 1/1000th the size of the original Rubik’s Cube. Each of the nine squares on the device’s six faces measures just 1.6 millimeters (0.06 inches) across.

This miniature model has been recognized as the world’s smallest rotating puzzle cube, breaking the previous record set in 2016 with a 5.6-millimeter version.

The tiny cube comes with a hefty price tag of 777,777 yen ($5,320), suggesting it’s more likely to be a collector’s item than a puzzle for everyday use. Each cube is sold with a stand declaring its world record status.

The release of this miniature version coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Rubik’s Cube. Since its invention in 1974, over 500 million cubes have been sold worldwide, attracting both casual enthusiasts and professional mathematicians.

Rubik’s Cube solving has become a competitive sport, with tournaments held globally. Participants compete to solve the puzzle in the shortest time possible, often completing it in mere seconds. The current world record for solving a standard 3x3x3 cube stands at 3.13 seconds, set by a 22-year-old Korean American at a competition in California last year.

The standard 3x3x3 category is one of the most competitive in the Rubik’s Cube community, with top performers hailing from countries such as the United States, China, and South Korea.