Acre not to be abolished - unfortunately

July 21st, 2008

The media just can’t get it right. Nor can they miss any opportunity, however unfounded, to knock both the metric system and the European Union. The latest non-story is to be found in the Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail of 21 July.

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Seventh UK scientist honoured by CGPM

July 16th, 2008

The contribution of British engineers and scientists to the development of the international metric system is well known.  What is less well known is that in addition to the six SI units that are named after British scientists and engineers, there is a seventh unit approved for use with SI (article based on contribution by Martin Vlietstra).

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All distances on London pedestrian signs to be shown in “minutes”

July 3rd, 2008

According to Legible London, an initiative led by Transport for London, all existing pedestrian direction signs in London will be replaced by 2015 with new wayfinding signs. The enamelled monolith-style signs will have maps as well as directions and distances in “minutes”.

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Cyprus measures up, and delivers a surprise

June 30th, 2008

A visit to the Republic of Cyprus earlier this year delivered sun, sea and snow, as expected, but also came up with a surprise. (Article contributed by Derek Pollard)

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Vehicle fuel efficiency - units matter

June 27th, 2008

An article published on the Guardian web site on 20 June describes US research on the public perception of vehicle fuel efficiency in relation to the units used.

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Police and Network Rail call for metric signs

June 24th, 2008

An incident on 17 June, in which a foreign lorry struck a low bridge near Cannock, the third such incident since April, has prompted the police and Network Rail to call for metric signs to be shown on all bridges in the area.

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Metric, a truly natural system

June 18th, 2008

At the time of writing NASA scientists are eagerly awaiting the results of soil sampling from their latest Martian probe Phoenix. Crucial to that experiment is confirmation of the presence of water. That precious substance essential to all life both here on Earth and maybe elsewhere. It also plays a big part in shaping the world geologically and meteorologically both here and possibly on Mars. What more natural a substance to choose for defining a unit of mass as was the case originally with the metric system.

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Sainsbury’s chooses non-metric jug system

June 12th, 2008

In an attempt to reduce packaging waste, Sainsbury’s has begun selling milk in 2-pint plastic bags. It is claimed that the bags will reduce milk packaging waste by 75%.

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No Olympic games without measurement

May 25th, 2008

Accurate and consistent measurement is fundamental to modern life, and in few branches of human activity is it more important than in sport - including, of course, the Olympic Games. This is the message given by Andrew Wallard, the President of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) to mark World Metrology Day (article suggested by Martin Vlietstra).

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Are Imperial units based on 12s?

May 22nd, 2008

It is often claimed that imperial is based on 12s (duodecimal) and that this has advantages over decimal. But is this truth or myth? Read the rest of this entry »