The kilogram has changed forever. Here’s why.

In November, scientists from around the world met in Paris to do something remarkable: they redefined the kilogram. This standard of measure was once based on a hunk of metal under lock and key in France — but in 2019, it will officially be defined by something far, far stranger. Take a weird trip into the world of measurement with us as we find out why.

Correction: An eagle-eyed viewer pointed out a small error when we described the old definition of a kilogram. It should have been "the weight of water equal to the cube of a tenth part of the metre"…not "the hundredth part." Otherwise, you'd be getting a gram, not a kilogram. Good catch…and a good argument for the metric system!

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