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An antique clock showing a few minutes before 12 is topped with a party hat, and colorful streamers hang in the background.

Auld Lang ‘Time’: One of the Country’s Timekeepers Makes Sure We Ring in The New Year at Just the Right Second

November 27, 2023

Andrew Novick

As you prepare to watch the ball drop or pop champagne on New Year’s Eve, we’ll be keeping an eye on the clock — just as we always do.

A researcher wearing safety glasses reaches into a box of circuitry and other equipment, which emits a green glow.

Think You Know What a Second Is? It Will Likely Change in the Next Decade.

October 16, 2023

Tara Fortier

As the world has modernized and our pace of life has increased, our relationship to time has changed.

Isabelle Rivera poses smiling at a computer with two monitors, one showing a spreadsheet and the other multiple file icons.

Reaching for the Stars: My Summer Internship Learning About Spectroscopy in Space and on Earth

September 13, 2023

Isabelle Rivera

As a summer high school intern at NIST, I got to take a deep dive into one of the ways scientists study space — the absorption and emission of light by matter, known as spectroscopy.

Two people wearing coveralls in a "clean room" lab look up at a disk-shaped object that one of them is holding.

Agents of Contrast, Software Runaway Hit, Our Early Universe: A Sample of Stories on NIST Social Media

August 16, 2023

Riley Wilson

Curious? It’s time to get you caught up on a few of the summer happenings at NIST.

Grace Waters poses smiling in the lab, leaning against a desk with a computer monitor showing data and graphs.

A Summer of Science: NIST Interns’ Stories of Their Time in the Lab

July 20, 2023

From measuring UV light to working on virtual reality software, a summer at NIST is not your average internship.

Drawing of Nikola Tesla with his chin propped on his hand.

What’s in a Name? The Tesla

June 27, 2023

Sandy Ressler

Do you enjoy flipping on the light switch? Well, you can thank Nikola Tesla — born 167 years ago today.

Under the orange lights of a clean room, Katarina Cicak, wearing a coverall and safety glasses, displays tiny chips in a plastic box.

From Escaping a War to Becoming a Mom of 3 at Once, Science Has Always Been There for Me

June 14, 2023

Katarina Cicak

I learned as a young adult not to get attached to material things; they can be gone in an instant. But there were some things I knew no one could take — an education and my love of science.

NIST researchers Yoshi Ohno and Jane Li demonstrate different types of lighting in their lab on NIST’s campus in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

The Eye of the Beholder: How Lighting Affects Our Color Perception

June 6, 2023

Megan King

Remember the social media controversy over the color of a dress? That’s a lighthearted example of how illumination can affect the things we see, but this is serious science.

Christine McGinn wears safety glasses as she handles plastic bottles and other materials in the lab.

My Science Project Collapsed, but My Science Career Was Just Getting Started

May 24, 2023

Christine McGinn

Representation and mentors are key to promoting diversity in America’s science and technology workforce into the future.

Header graphic depicting images related to Blaise Pascal: a barometer, a drawing of Blaise Pascal, and a bike tire

Under Pressure: Blaise Pascal, the Barometer and Bike Tires

May 23, 2023

Sandy Ressler

On his 400th birthday, we celebrate the scientist whose name is the unit of measurement for air, bike and car tire pressure. You should read it. No pressure.

Aly Artusio-Glimpse smiles and holds up a tiny glass square.

Benchy the Boat, Irradiated Mangoes, Quantum Window: A Sample of Stories on NIST Social Media

April 20, 2023

Riley Wilson

NIST’s research can range from the complex to the downright whimsical, but all the papers published here can trace back to a benefit for everyone in the U.S.

NIST researcher Jessie Zhang, wearing a protective suit, mask, and safety glasses holds up a piece of foil in the lab.

Foiled! NIST Unwraps What’s Baking Under Aluminum in Its Labs

March 29, 2023

Megan King

Here at NIST, we do a different kind of baking, but we often use the same foil you use in your own kitchen.

NIST's Andrew Wilson holds an ion trap in his lab in Boulder, Colorado. Behind him are screens depicting dots.

From GPS to Laser Pointers, Quantum Science Is All Around Us

March 24, 2023

Andrew Wilson

Ahead of World Quantum Day this week, we asked Andrew Wilson, who leads NIST’s Quantum Physics Division, to explain just what exactly quantum science is and why it matters.

A neon sign that reads Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas is lit up in neon in front of a sunset scene.

When Neon Was New: How NIST Researchers Helped America Discover the Iconic Neon Sign

March 23, 2023

While it’s now largely faded into history, NIST researchers helped America discover the wonders of the neon sign.

John Kitching leans over a table in the lab, using tweezers to point to part of a chip-scale device in a clear plastic box.

NIST’s Researchers Look Ahead to High-Tech Trends in 2023 and Beyond

December 22, 2022

They study topics that impact all of us, from indoor air quality to cybersecurity.

Colorful letters on black background say "12 Days of Metric."

As we approach the end of 2022, we wanted to share with our readers a NISTified version of a classic seasonal song about a topic that is near and dear to our scientists year-round: the wonders of the metric system.

Screenshot says "AMOS Gateway: A Portal for Research and Education in Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Science" over colorful circular design.

AMO for All: How Online Portals Are Democratizing the Field of Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics

October 24, 2022

Barry Schneider

Portals allow less-experienced researchers to do real calculations without knowing how to build the code themselves.

A Lego structure wired to various electronic readout devices stands on a wooden counter surrounded by other scientific equipment. A sign on the concrete wall behind reads "No Turkeys Allowed."

How Lego Bricks Shaped My Career at NIST

September 1, 2022

Leon Chao

Leon Chao explains how the popular toys inspired the first tabletop version of an ultraprecise measurement machine.

Woman with long dark hair wearing safety goggle stands in front of a table that has a series of lenses on stands

What’s a Physicist? My Summer as a Student Intern at NIST

August 26, 2022

Valeria Viteri-Pflucker

Valeria Viteri-Pflucker found what she was looking for at NIST: hands-on experimental experience.

Six men stand in front of an airplane in a hangar, with equipment displayed on carts in front of them.

From Waxlight to Moonlight: 21st Century Standard Candles at NIST

July 1, 2022

Steven Brown

Before I tell you about the high-altitude NASA aircraft we use and the lunar observatory we are building, let’s talk about the earliest standard for measuring light output: the humble candle.

Colorized micrograph shows cells with pink centers and turquoise edges on a black background.

How Henrietta Lacks Changed My View of Human Cells as a Physicist

May 27, 2022

Greta Babakhanova

A NIST researcher has developed a whole different kind of appreciation for her samples.

Alexey Gorshkov poses at a whiteboard, holding a marker.

What’s So Great About Quantum Computing? A Q&A With NIST Theorist Alexey Gorshkov

May 20, 2022

The NIST theorist discusses his efforts toward designing quantum computers, revealing their possible capabilities, and showing why we all should be excited about them.

Eight adults pose for a photo standing by a white van with the side door open, showing equipment inside.

Detecting Methane Gas Leaks and Other Pollutants Using Frequency Combs: A Q&A With Sammie Finalists

May 3, 2022

The list of what is polluting our atmosphere and contributing to global warming is long and varied. And if we want to solve this problem, being able to accurately measure what’s happening is key.

Historical photo shows two rows of women working at long tables.

New Jersey’s ‘Radium Girls’ and the NIST-Trained Scientist Who Came to Their Aid

March 7, 2022

Ron Cowen

Radiation expert and historian Bert Coursey, who has worked at NIST for 50 years, writes extensively on the history of radium and radiation standards. He recently reviewed NIST’s connection with the radium dial workers — notably the role of one heroic woman — in the Journal of Research of the

A woman stands smiling in front of a large device with many metal parts and wires.

My First Semiconductor Standards Were a Bust … or Were They?

December 22, 2021

Kris Bertness

Silicon is the most important semiconductor in the world. It forms the chips that are used for memory and processors in high-end computers, everyday consumer electronics and now in tiny little gadgets that do amazing things. But there is one thing that silicon cannot do well: produce light. For

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