What the Heck Is That? Ordinary Things That Look Insane Microscopic!

Stamp Edges or Paper Shark Teeth?

Up close, the edge of a postage stamp isn’t clean or crisp—it’s a row of tiny paper bites. Under a microscope, the perforations look jagged and a little chaotic, with fibers poking out like frayed fabric. The cut isn’t a perfect slice; it’s more like paper that’s been pinched and pulled apart.

These holes help people tear stamps neatly, but at this scale, it’s clear the process is more brute force than precision. Some areas even show leftover dust or glue from the adhesive backing. From a distance, it’s all tidy and official—but magnified, stamp edges are scrappy and less than perfect.

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