Dr Bodenschatz and his team are now scrutinising video footage of the lava lake in the Kilauea crater in Hawaii, to see if its zig-zags are produced by the same pattern of cooling and plate-spreading that is observed in the wax.

ECONOMIST: Geophysics

To further hone the image, engineers use a technique called optical proximity correction, which uses oddly shaped bars, notches and other distortions that are cut into the chrome template on the quartz plate to trick light waves into making a more precise pattern (see left).

FORBES: Trick Of The Light

To further hone the image, engineers use a technique called optical proximity correction, which uses oddly shaped bars, notches and other distortions that are cut into the chrome template on the quartz plate to trick light waves into making a more precise pattern (see chart).

FORBES: Trick of the Light