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Taking Measure Blog Posts

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Displaying 1 - 25 of 447

New Music Captures NIST’s Essence, Measure for Measure

February 3, 2026

A new musical composition honors NIST and what we do for science.

A researcher peers into a box of scientific equipment near an opening in the wall showing the view down the mountain.

Putting Einstein to the Test With the World’s Most Accurate Clocks

February 2, 2026

Gabriel Popkin

Powerful new atomic clocks could revolutionize how we measure gravity, with big benefits for science and technology.

A person wearing a blue medical glove holds up an X-ray film of a bone joint.

Checkup Time! How Measurement Science Keeps You Healthy

January 27, 2026

Riley Wilson

From blood transfusions to broken bones, accurate measurements are a vital part of health care.

Gary Howarth poses for a photo in his office, wearing a NIST baseball cap, with a ruggedized laptop on the counter next to him and a map on the wall behind him.

How Thousands of Tiny Dots Can Save First Responders’ Lives

January 14, 2026

Gary Howarth

In an emergency, knowing exactly where a first responder is can mean the difference between life and death.

Floodwaters rise to the doorways of a row of historic brick buildings, one with a sign saying "Nashville."

Disaster Preparedness: How Measurement Science Can Help Your Community

January 12, 2026

Christina Gore

Firsthand experience with natural disasters inspired a NIST researcher to study how communities prepare for — and recover from — disasters.

Jim Cline stands in front of a large scientific device in a lab, holding a small white disk.

NIST’s Most Popular Reference Materials and What They Tell Us About the Science of Measurement

January 8, 2026

Brian Gutierrez

NIST develops and sells more than 1,300 standard reference materials that are critical to supporting American industry and conducting research.

A researcher works at a computer with the screen showing a black scaffold structure on a white background.

Taking Measure Celebrates 10 Years of Science and Stories

January 7, 2026

Megan King

We take a look back at 10 years of the Taking Measure blog.

Screenshot from animated video shows mother and daughter characters and reads: New Year's 2026 Countdown.

Calling All (Tired) Parents! Count Down to the New Year Early With Your Kids — and Professor Second

December 17, 2025

Kids (or yourself) too tired to stay up to ring in the new year? Count down with our video instead!

Cartoon snow globe features a tape measure shaped like Santa's sleigh.

Count on NIST to Provide Well-Measured Holiday Cheer

December 15, 2025

Robin Materese

Just how bright are the holiday lights? How much does Santa eat on Christmas Eve? These are some of the big holiday measurement questions we’ve put to the test this season.

Ram Sriram poses smiling for a head shot outdoors on the NIST campus.

AI in the Doctor’s Office: How Standards Can Support Trustworthiness

December 4, 2025

Ram D. Sriram

If AI will be used in health care (or any other field), specific and useful standards are needed to make sure it’s reliable.

Close-up of a smartphone held in a person's hand, showing a Colorado mobile driver's license with an image of a bighorn sheep.

Tap for ID: Your Next Driver’s License Might Also Live on Your Phone

November 20, 2025

You’ve probably tapped your phone to pay, but have you ever used it to show your ID? It’s coming, and NIST experts are working on standards to make it work.

Doug White stands looking at a printed-out list taped to the end of a library shelf.

Software Library Helps Law Enforcement Catch Dangerous Criminals

November 13, 2025

Doug White

NIST’s software reference library creates digital fingerprints of software — including many older pieces of software that are no longer available.

Jack Glover poses outside on the NIST campus, holding a flat square object with holes of varying sizes.

Science-Backed Standards Keep You Safer in the Skies

September 25, 2025

Megan King

A NIST researcher’s expertise in physics helps ensure that airport security machines are tested effectively, keeping you safer in the skies.

Four people stand talking in a converted factory space near a large interior window through which a complex, high-tech manufacturing line is visible.

From the Machine Shop to Cutting-Edge Technology: How NIST Helps Grow American Manufacturing

September 22, 2025

Cassondra Blasioli

For more than a decade, Manufacturing USA has worked to grow and improve the U.S. manufacturing sector.

Sierra Miller sits at a desk facing a computer screen.

Using Experiments and Stories to Inspire the Next Generation of STEM Professionals

September 12, 2025

Sierra Miller

A love of science led a NIST researcher to her career. Now she’s working to encourage children to embrace science.

Andrew Iams wears safety glasses as his face is framed in an opening between two horizontal pieces of equipment in the lab.

From the Steel City to the Lab: Strengthening the U.S. Steel Industry Through Science

August 26, 2025

Andrew Iams

A NIST researcher from Pittsburgh — known as the Steel City — is working to understand how we can better make steel right here in the U.S.

Angie Hight Walker and Amber McCreary stand side by side in the lab adjusting a complex scientific device.

From Postdoc to Quantum Physicist: How NIST Made Me a Better Scientist and Leader

August 22, 2025

Amber McCreary

A former NIST postdoctoral researcher recalls how hands-on science and supportive mentoring helped develop her science career.

A bearded man poses smiling next to an open cabinet of equipment in a lab.

Laser Focused: How Light Reflections Could Revolutionize 3D Printing of Metals

August 13, 2025

Brian Gutierrez

A NIST researcher is working to better understand 3D metal printing — in hopes that the technology could make more consistent parts.

A woman sits in the passenger side of a parked car, looking at a large monitor attached to the dashboard.

A Summer of Science: How Our Interns Spent Their Summers in the Lab

July 25, 2025

Megan King

From self-driving cars to advancing forensics technology, NIST’s interns had a busy summer in the lab.

A researcher in safety glasses stands holding a remote control near a large blue model of a human head and torso with red marks on the chest.

Wearable, Implantable and Ingestible Medical Devices Could Revolutionize Your Health Care

July 22, 2025

Kamran Sayrafian

A NIST researcher is using measurement technology to monitor fluid in the lungs, with the hope of helping providers care for patients with a dangerous lung condition.

A researcher wearing safety glasses stands in the lab, reaching into a metal device on the lab table.

When Concrete Cracks: How Science Can Save Buildings

July 1, 2025

Brian Gutierrez

NIST concrete research has already saved billions of dollars, and we’re working to help homeowners address expensive cracks in their homes’ foundations.

Researcher Ming Zheng looks with interest at a small vial he is holding up in front of him.

How Nature’s Symmetry Might Help Us See Early Warning Signs of Cancer

June 27, 2025

Ming Zheng

A NIST researcher is looking to see molecules in a new way — from two perspectives. The goal is to learn more about molecules in our bodies that could help lead to breakthroughs in medical treatments.