The History of Measurement | The Last Artifact

The Last Artifact follows the high-stakes race to redefine the weight of the world, and reveals the untold story of one of the most important objects on the planet.

The kilogram, the base unit of mass in the International System of Units, helped send humans to the moon and satellites into space. This small hunk of metal is the object against which all others are measured. Yet over time, its mass mysteriously eroded by the weight of an eyelash.  A change that, unbeknownst to most, unleashed a crisis with potentially dire consequences.

Discover the history of measurement and how different systems and artifacts have been used over the years.