Microchip Easter Eggs

Software engineers aren't the only ones planting secret easter eggs in their products.

Here's a fun article on the hidden art etched into microchips. There are a handful of images in the article, but many more at the Silicon Zoo website. Here's one I found of Mr. T on, appropriately enough, a T1 transceiver integrated circuit:

Microchip Mr. T

Notice the medallion says "T1". Who said hardware engineers didn't have a sense of humor?

If you want to see more of these hardware in-jokes, visit the Molecular Expressions: Silicon Zoo page and scroll down past the interactive Java tutorial image in the middle of the page. Direct links to the rest of the chip images start just below there.

Related posts

Building a PC, Part IX: Downsizing

Building a PC, Part IX: Downsizing

Hard to believe that I’ve had the same PC case since 2011, and my last serious upgrade was in 2015. I guess that’s yet another sign that the PC is over, because PC upgrades have gotten really boring. It took 5 years for me to muster up the

By Jeff Atwood ·
Comments
Is Your Computer Stable?

Is Your Computer Stable?

Over the last twenty years, I’ve probably built around a hundred computers. It’s not very difficult, and in fact, it’s gotten a whole lot easier over the years as computers become more highly integrated. Consider what it would take to build something very modern like the Scooter

By Jeff Atwood ·
Comments
The 2016 HTPC Build

The 2016 HTPC Build

I’ve loved many computers in my life, but the HTPC has always had a special place in my heart. It’s the only always-on workhorse computer in our house, it is utterly silent, totally reliable, sips power, and it’s at the center of our home entertainment, networking, storage,

By Jeff Atwood ·
Comments
To ECC or Not To ECC

To ECC or Not To ECC

On one of my visits to the Computer History Museum – and by the way this is an absolute must-visit place if you are ever in the San Francisco bay area – I saw an early Google server rack circa 1999 in the exhibits. Not too fancy, right? Maybe even… a little

By Jeff Atwood ·
Comments

Recent Posts

Stay Gold, America

Stay Gold, America

We are at an unprecedented point in American history, and I'm concerned we may lose sight of the American Dream.

By Jeff Atwood ·
Comments
The Great Filter Comes For Us All

The Great Filter Comes For Us All

With a 13 billion year head start on evolution, why haven’t any other forms of life in the universe contacted us by now? (Arrival is a fantastic movie. Watch it, but don’t stop there – read the Story of Your Life novella it was based on for so much

By Jeff Atwood ·
Comments
I Fight For The Users

I Fight For The Users

If you haven’t been able to keep up with my blistering pace of one blog post per year, I don’t blame you. There’s a lot going on right now. It’s a busy time. But let’s pause and take a moment to celebrate that Elon Musk

By Jeff Atwood ·
Comments
The 2030 Self-Driving Car Bet

The 2030 Self-Driving Car Bet

It’s my honor to announce that John Carmack and I have initiated a friendly bet of $10,000* to the 501(c)(3) charity of the winner’s choice: By January 1st, 2030, completely autonomous self-driving cars meeting SAE J3016 level 5 will be commercially available for passenger use

By Jeff Atwood ·
Comments