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Physical Measurement Laboratory

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20 May 2024 is World Metrology Day

May 16, 2024

The theme for the 2024 World Metrology Day (on May 20) is "Sustainability," which raises awareness of the need for accurate measurements in the development of a

The UK to recognize CE-marked weighing and measuring instruments

May 1, 2024

Before Brexit when the United Kingdom (UK) was still part of the European Union (EU), products placed on the UK market were required to comply with the EU

The Big Quantum Chill: NIST Scientists Modify Common Lab Refrigerator to Cool Faster With Less Energy

April 23, 2024

By modifying a refrigerator commonly used in both research and industry, researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have

Moonlight Measurement on a Hawaiian Volcano

April 22, 2024

For several years, a team of researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has been building a robotically operated moonlight

Scientist working at scientific equipment

Spotlight: The Real-World Applications of Quantum With Julia Scherschligt

April 15, 2024

For NIST physicist Julia Scherschligt, the most exciting thing about quantum is seeing the real-world applications of this science. Julia leads a group that is

Tiny red cylinder probes are presented in front of a much larger ice cube.

Spotlight: Shape-Shifting Probes Will Help Improve MRI Imaging

April 12, 2024

Not all gems are the precious stone kind. In the field of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a type of microscopic magnetic probes called geometrically encoded

Illustration shows tiny columns of light in different colors standing vertically along circuits on a chip.

Spotlight: Chip-Scale Frequency Combs Can Be Integrated With Other Sensors

April 2, 2024

Frequency combs — specialized lasers that act like rulers to measure light — are now being brought down to a low-power, chip-scale form. NIST researchers David

NIST Special Publication on WIM Systems Used in Law Enforcement Applications

April 1, 2024

Introduction According to the 2021 Fact Sheet: The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal, one in five miles of U.S. highways and major roads and over 45,000 bridges

Witness Testing in Official Weights and Measures Inspections

April 1, 2024

Weights and measures inspections provide a legally required, independent validation of the accuracy of commercial weighing and measuring devices; provide a

Fun and Games: Teach and Learn Measurement System Basics with the SI Units Card Deck

April 1, 2024

It’s easy to learn the metric system with the SI Units Card Deck (NIST SP 1297), an interactive educational activity that helps learners build their skills

NIST Researchers Use Cellphone Compass to Measure Tiny Concentrations of Compounds Important for Human Health

April 1, 2024

Nearly every modern cellphone has a built-in compass, or magnetometer, that detects the direction of Earth’s magnetic field, providing critical information for

Bullseye! NIST Devises a Method to Accurately Center Quantum Dots Within Photonic Chips

March 18, 2024

Devices that capture the brilliant light from millions of quantum dots, including chip-scale lasers and optical amplifiers, have made the transition from

Researchers develop a new type of frequency comb that promises to further boost the accuracy of time keeping

March 14, 2024

Chip-based devices known as frequency combs, which measure the frequency of light waves with unparalleled precision, have revolutionized time keeping, the

Shrinking Technology, Expanding Horizons: Compact Chips Advance Precision Timing for Communications, Navigation and Other Applications

March 6, 2024

This technology shrinks a tabletop system into a chip-sized format, reducing power usage and making it more applicable for use in everyday devices.

NIST Physicist Sae Woo Nam, Pioneer in Single-Photon Detectors, Passes Away

March 1, 2024

During his 25-year career at NIST, Sae Woo performed groundbreaking work. He died in January at 53.

Artist’s rendering of an organ-on-a-chip device

NIST-Led Working Group Developing Standards for Organ-on-a-Chip Research

February 22, 2024

When testing a new medicine, researchers must do more than assess how well that drug works. They also have to determine whether the medicine has some negative

Scientists Observe Long-Predicted Superconductor Property Using a Quantum Simulator

February 14, 2024

New insights can help scientists make superconducting materials more robust and useful.

An illustrated anatomically correct human heart sits inside of a microchip, with its valves connecting to the microchip sensors.

Heart-on-a-Chip: A Microfluidic Marvel Shaping the Future of Cardiovascular Research

February 6, 2024

Researchers at NIST have developed bioelectronic devices capable of real-time measurements of cell behavior.

A sunset. Text reads: "Radio Station WWVH. Reception Report, 15.0 MHz. Serial #23818. Date 4/7/2023."

Spotlight: Disseminating Time Signals Far and Wide With NIST’s Radio Stations

January 31, 2024

There are dedicated, enthusiastic people in this world who have made a cause (and hobby) out of saying, “I heard that.” NIST is keenly aware. We’re talking

Micrograph shows six blue boxes with thin lines at the center, each connected to white rectangular shapes.

Spotlight: A New Wavelength of Scientific Exploration With Single-Photon Detectors

January 29, 2024

From the minuscule bindings of molecules to the far reaches of space, we’re exploring the universe around us by catching sight of the smallest particles of

Microwave Detectors and Multiplexing: NIST Researchers Help Astronomers Examine the Early Universe

January 24, 2024

Perched atop a high plateau in Chile’s Atacama Desert, a long-awaited observatory is beginning to take shape: the largest suite of ground-based telescopes

OWM Recognizes Contributions of Proficiency Testing Coordinators at RMAPs

January 3, 2024

The OWM Laboratory Metrology group operates an ISO 17043 compliant Proficiency Testing (PT) program that assesses the effectiveness of the metrology training

People checking out in a grocery store with person seated scanning items

2024 National Price Verification Survey

January 3, 2024

NIST Office of Weights and Measures (OWM) is collaborating with the National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM), together with 28 state and 38 local

NIST Researchers Help Design a Prototype Quantum Computer

December 20, 2023

Researchers have created a prototype quantum computer with a record number of qubits—the analog of bits in an ordinary computer—capable of performing logical

NIST’s Ultra-small, Shape-shifting GEMS Offer an Easier and Cheaper way to improve MRI Imaging

December 20, 2023

Microscopic magnetic probes that change shape in response to their environment may greatly enhance magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, producing the

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