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Materials

a stylized rendering of the periodic table

The Periodic Table: It's More than Just Chemistry and Physics

May 28, 2019

This is the International Year of the Periodic Table, and while I’ve been (accurately) accused of being a physics fanboy, I’m here to tell you that this famous

cartoon illustration that explains how communicating science is a key part of NIST Center for Neutron Research Director Rob Dimeo's job

My Visual Crutch for Communicating Science

April 18, 2019

Chasing Paper: Adventures in Fiber Analysis

March 19, 2019

Growing up in New Orleans, Louisiana, I had no scientific aspirations as a child. I do remember being entertained by science, relishing public television

Top NIST Images of 2018

February 6, 2019

There’s nothing quite like a captivating image to make you want to learn more. And nowhere is that more apparent than when it comes to sometimes hard-to

a drop of water springing up from a pool

‘Day Zero’ Denied: Solving the Looming Water Crisis

June 12, 2018

“When the Well's dry, we know the Worth of Water.” —Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard’s Almanack In early 2018, Cape Town, South Africa, became the first major

The Frustrated Matter of Quantum Spin Liquids

January 10, 2018

There’s a pub here in Fort Collins, Colorado, that offers 100 different beers on tap. This sounds—and actually is—great, but it has a drawback. With so many

Printing with Concrete: How I Spent My Summer Vacation

September 4, 2017

Since they came out a few years ago, the capabilities of commercially available 3-D printers have radically expanded. At first, they could only print little

Carbon Nanotubular: SURFing into the Sciences

May 5, 2017

I’m a bit of a romantic when it comes to science. When anyone asks what inspires me to be a scientist, I tell them that it’s amazing to add to the collective

The Magnetic Allure of Superconductivity

March 31, 2017

One of my favorite things about being a condensed matter physicist is how broadly defined the subject is. There are lots of interesting phenomena begging for

Taking a Closer Look at Old Photos

February 16, 2017

My mom is a painter, so I grew up in a messy house full of brushes, twisted tubes of paint, pots of ink, plaster busts of various Romans, rolls of papers, and

Photo of man in white space suite on surface of moon at night.

Mooning Over Measurement

January 31, 2017

I’ve worked with many valuable materials in my career. Precious metals like gold and platinum, rare engineered nanomaterials, and fragile gemstones nearly as

Developing the APTitude to Design New Materials, Atom-by-Atom

January 12, 2017

Cars, buildings, computer chips, you and me and the air we breathe, everything is made of atoms. We learn this in elementary school, because, well, it’s an

Ideas Whose Time Has Come (and Gone), v. 2017

December 20, 2016

A catchphrase from a popular reality show goes: “One day you're in. And the next day, you're out.” For the purposes of the show, the host is referencing fashion

A Smart Window to Sustainable Development: A Scientist’s Story

December 1, 2016

I think curiosity is at the root of all scientific careers. That, and insecurity. In my formative years, I felt compelled to assign a rational explanation to

A Little Light Construction: Laser Welding in Three Acts

November 7, 2016

Welding is said to be more art than science. In part, this is a nod to the vital, skilled work that welders perform. It’s also recognition of the fact that the

Revolution by Design: The Materials Genome Initiative

August 17, 2016

The creation of a new material has long been either an accident or a matter of trial and error. Steel, for instance, was developed over hundreds of years by

The NIST Summer Institute for Middle School Science Teachers: An Educator's Journey

August 9, 2016

I was always fascinated with science. However, I steered away from pursuing science beyond high school because there was too much math involved (and “MATH,” a

Women’s Body Armor: Staying Ahead of the Curves

August 1, 2016

As I peer into the cardboard box NIST researcher Amanda Forster holds out for me, I can’t help thinking that this mild-mannered materials scientist has an

Building a Firearms Toolmark Database

July 22, 2016

Although they are mass produced, every firearm is unique, and when fired, they leave unique markings called toolmarks on the bullet and cartridge casing. Law

If I Had a Hammer … I’d Do Impact Testing

July 8, 2016

Right now, scientists all over the world are trying to understand how we get injured when our bodies are subjected to strong, dynamic loads – a hard body-check

Additive Manufacturing Equals Excitement

June 23, 2016

I research additive manufacturing, which some people call solid freeform fabrication, but most people know as 3-D printing. Additive manufacturing covers a wide

A line of cars with fire and smoke nearby

Fighting Fire with Fire-Breathing Dragons

June 22, 2016

I’m a dragon wrangler. While that might sound like something straight out of Harry Potter or Game of Thrones, this isn’t fantasy, this is serious science. As a

Make a Mint Using Measurement Science

May 2, 2016

Put your hands together. Now move them back and forth to rub them against each other. Feel that heat? That’s from friction. No matter if it’s between siblings

John Cahn standing by blackboard smiling

My Memories of John Cahn

April 28, 2016

This article was written in response to the March 14, 2016, death of John Cahn, one of the world’s foremost materials scientists, who worked at NIST from 1977

Directing My Energy Toward a Sustainable Future

April 22, 2016

Have you ever wondered what might happen if we run out of fossil fuels? How do you think we will be able to survive without the resources we need to heat and

May with brown ponytail and safety glasses working in lab

Making a Lasting Impression on the Auto Industry

April 6, 2016

Today in Taking Measure we asked Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) recipient Adam Creuziger a few questions about his life

A Slice of Math Functions for Pi Day

March 14, 2016

Happy Pi Day! No, not pie day, Pi Day. That Greek character pi, π, that you’ve heard of but aren’t quite sure what the big deal is. Pi is the ratio of a circle

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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).

Materials

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