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Taking Measure

Just a Standard Blog

Marcos A. Reyes-Martinez

Marcos A. Reyes-Martinez is an NRC Research Associate working in the Materials Science and Engineering Division of NIST's Material Measurement Laboratory. He received his Ph.D. in polymer science and engineering from the University of Massachusetts studying the electrical and mechanical properties of organic semiconductors. His current research focuses on the mechanics of soft materials for applications in impact mitigation. In his free time, he enjoys astrophotography, playing classical guitar and backcountry backpacking.

The Vara: A Standard of Length With a Not-So-Standard History

October 11, 2019

By the 1850s, the United States had annexed nearly all of what are now its southwestern states from Mexico, and with the region, its peoples. Though the U.S

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About this blog

Taking Measure is the official blog of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

It provides a behind-the-scenes look at NIST’s research and programs, covering a broad range of science and technology areas. Through this blog, NIST’s researchers and staff share why they do what they do and how today’s research will lead to tomorrow’s innovations.

The views presented here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of NIST.

If you have any questions about our blog or reprint requests, please contact us at takingmeasure [at] nist.gov (takingmeasure[at]nist[dot]gov).