Blog entries for Colorado

A man poses smiling in a laser laboratory.

NIST Laser Expert Helps Tabletop Gamers Play Safely

June 3, 2026

Handheld lasers — even those used in tabletop gaming — can be hazardous to your vision. A NIST laser safety expert helped gamers in his community play safely.

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 25, 2026

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

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

February 4, 2026

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

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

December 17, 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.

Precise Measurements Can Help Cancer Patients Live Longer, Healthier Lives

June 25, 2025

NIST researchers are working to better measure radiation — to help keep cancer patients living long, healthy lives after they complete their treatments.

How NIST Helped Start an Industry: Our Role in Jump-Starting Quantum Information Science

May 28, 2025

While quantum technology may seem like a new field, it’s been around for a while and has a fascinating history — much of which involved NIST’s experts.

Quantum Advances: NIST and Industry Drive Powerful Computing and Clocks

April 30, 2025

Imagine what life would be like without GPS, something you use all the time without thinking about where it came from. NIST research helped bring you GPS and

Krister Shalm, wearing safety glasses, smiles over a lab table covered with electronics equipment.

Quantum and Dance: It Takes 2 to Entangle

April 14, 2025

Quantum physics and dancing may seem very different, but they both rely on creativity and precision. Both have shaped one NIST researcher’s outlook on life.

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

5 Concepts Can Help You Understand Quantum Mechanics and Technology — Without Math!

February 5, 2025

Quantum is everywhere, and you can understand the basic quirks of life at the quantum level … no math required.

Illustration shows a lottery ball machine: a clear plastic sphere on a stand, half-filled with colorful numbered balls.

Pirouetting Molecules Can Help Us Learn About the History of the Universe

December 11, 2024

Our researchers are trapping tiny, fast-moving molecules — in hopes of learning more about the formation of our stars and universe.

Blog posts from Colorado