Weighty mission for scientists: redefine the kilo
The original cylinder of platinum and iridium used as the standard weight for one kilogram. Scientists said Monday they were moving closer to coming up with a non-physical definition of the kilo after discovering the metal artefact used as the international standard had shed a little weight.
Researchers caution there is still some way to go before their mission is complete, but if successful it would lead to the end of the useful life of the last manufactured object on which fundamental units of measure depend.
At the moment, the international standard for the kilo — the equivalent of around 2.2 pounds — is a chunk of metal, under triple lock-and-key in France since 1889.
Meanwhile in the USA the war against pounds, inches and miles continues to lag…
The process of replacing the American system of measurements has been unsteady over the years with no definite conclusion. After efforts in the 1970s and 1980s, there has been little political will to continue conversion to metric. Currently, the U.S. uses a mixture of units. In some fields, the metric system has been used in the U.S. since the early 19th century. The use of metric units instead of or in addition to customary units has been gradually increasing for many years, but much of the public momentum has been lost since the 1980s, except in schools, science, and manufacturing.
Towards a metric America!
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