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National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)


NIST researchers correct common error confounding nanotech measurements

A team of scientists at NIST identified a pervasive error in data analysis that can give misleading insights into how nanomaterials' properties depend on their size. They developed a mathematical correction to reveal the true relationship, which will help nanoscience and nanotechnology fulfill its potential.

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·JournalACS Nano·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateAug 6, 2026

‘Spooky’ particles transit DC suburbs, a step toward a quantum network

Researchers at NIST successfully transmitted entangled photons through a commercial fiber-optic network, a crucial step towards building quantum networks. The study demonstrates the feasibility of using existing infrastructure to connect distant users and could enable ultra-secure communications and boost quantum computing power.

Shooting for the moon: Ultrastable lasers in dark craters could enable lunar navigation, precision timekeeping, new science

Physicist Jun Ye proposes building a highly stable laser inside permanently shadowed lunar craters, leveraging their extremely low vibrations and temperature to achieve unparalleled precision. This could form the backbone of a lunar time scale, GPS-like navigation, and space-based optical atomic clocks.

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeContent analysis·DateMay 18, 2026

Any color you like: NIST scientists create ‘any wavelength’ lasers in tiny circuits for light

Researchers have developed integrated photonics chips with complex patterns of specialized materials to shuttle light around and process information. These advancements could boost emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and optical atomic clocks by providing a big boost for quantum technologies.

Any color you like: NIST scientists create ‘any wavelength’ lasers in tiny circuits for light

Scientists have pioneered a way to make integrated circuits for light by depositing complex patterns of specialized materials onto silicon wafers. This advance could provide a big boost for emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computers, and optical atomic clocks.

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 15, 2026

In quantum sensing, what beats beating noise? Meeting noise halfway.

Researchers at NIST have discovered a way to design entangled quantum objects called qubits to correct errors caused by environmental noise. This approach enables the sensor to become more robust in the face of noise while maintaining its additional sensing advantage. The findings, detailed in Physical Review Letters, could lead to the...

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateSep 10, 2025

Study highlights need for standardized measurement methods in gene therapy

A study by National Institute of Standards and Technology scientists has highlighted the need for standardized measurement methods in gene therapy. The researchers evaluated four techniques used to measure modified viruses deployed in some gene therapy research and treatments, finding that one technique had poor accuracy and precision.

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·JournalHuman Gene Therapy·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 13, 2025

Tiny new lasers fill a long-standing gap in the rainbow of visible-light colors, opening new applications

Scientists at NIST have created tiny lasers that generate light at yellow and green wavelengths, filling a long-standing gap in the visible-light spectrum. The new technology has potential applications in underwater communications, medical treatments, and quantum computing.

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·JournalLight Science & Applications·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 29, 2024

World’s most accurate and precise atomic clock pushes new frontiers in physics

Researchers at JILA have built an atomic clock that is more precise and accurate than any previous clock, enabling pinpoint navigation in space and searches for new particles. The clock's high precision could reveal hidden underground mineral deposits and test fundamental theories like general relativity with unprecedented rigor.

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateJul 1, 2024

Your future medications could be personalized for you on a 3D printer

NIST is developing standards and safety protocols for 3D printing drugs onsite at pharmacies, enabling personalized dosages tailored to individual health needs. The process involves quality control measures to ensure accurate dosages and ingredients, with ongoing research to verify printer accuracy.

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·JournalMolecular Pharmaceutics·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJun 25, 2024

A new way of designing auxetic materials

Researchers have created a new algorithm to design auxetic materials with precise three-dimensional properties. Auxetics can provide greater resistance to impact and improve protection in buildings and automobiles. They also offer potential benefits for clothing, such as more comfortable pressure distribution.

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·Journalnpj Computational Materials·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJun 4, 2024

The big quantum chill: NIST scientists modify common lab refrigerator to cool faster with less energy

Researchers at NIST have modified a refrigerator to cool materials to within a few degrees above absolute zero, reducing cooldown time by half or quarter. This technology could save an estimated 27 million watts of power and $30 million in global electricity consumption.

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 1, 2024

NIST researchers use cellphone compass to measure tiny concentrations of compounds important for human health

Researchers at NIST have developed a method using cellphone magnetometers to rapidly and cheaply measure biomedical properties for monitoring or diagnosing diseases, including glucose levels in saliva. The technique has the potential to detect environmental toxins and measure biomarkers such as histamines with high sensitivity.

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 1, 2024

Bullseye! NIST devises a method to accurately center quantum dots within photonic chips

Researchers at NIST developed standards and calibrations for optical microscopes that enable accurate alignment of quantum dots to within 10-20 nanometers. This method could increase the number of high-performance devices by a hundred-fold, improving the reliability of quantum information technologies and biological imaging.

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·JournalOptica Quantum·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 26, 2024

New frequency comb can identify molecules in 20-nanosecond snapshots

Researchers have developed a laser-based system that can detect specific molecules with unprecedented accuracy and sensitivity. The new electro-optic comb setup can capture moment-to-moment details of high-speed processes such as hypersonic propulsion and protein folding, opening the door to novel measurements and insights.

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·JournalNature Photonics·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 30, 2023

Twisted science: NIST researchers find a new quantum ruler to explore exotic matter

Researchers at NIST have created a new quantum ruler to measure and explore the properties of moiré quantum matter, which can generate magnetic fields, become superconductors, or turn into perfect insulators. The findings promise to shed light on how electrons in twisted graphene sheets give rise to new magnetic properties.

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 5, 2023

NIST demonstrates a new ‘primary standard’ for measuring ultralow pressures

Scientists at NIST have validated a new approach to measuring extremely low gas pressures, called CAVS, which can serve as a primary standard. This technique uses a cold gas of trapped atoms to measure pressure and has been shown to be accurate and reliable for a wide range of applications.

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·JournalAVS Quantum Science·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 10, 2023

AI can accurately predict potentially fatal cardiac events in firefighters

Researchers at NIST and their colleagues used machine learning to identify abnormal cardiac rhythms in firefighters, achieving 97% accuracy. The Heart Health Monitoring model could lead to a portable heart monitor to detect early warning signs of heart trouble and prevent fatal cardiac events.

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·JournalFire Safety Journal·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 11, 2023

New laser-based method could help scientists discover new puncture-resistant materials

Researchers at NIST have developed a laser-based method that bridges the gap between material's microscopic properties and its real-world behavior. The LIPIT test uses high-intensity lasers to launch microprojectiles into small samples, analyzing energy exchange and predicting puncture resistance.

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·JournalACS Applied Materials & Interfaces·DateJun 29, 2023

NIST lays groundwork for future ultra-precise timing links to geosynchronous satellites

Researchers at NIST have demonstrated a capability to transmit extremely precise time signals through the air between far-flung locations, paving the way for ultra-precise timing links with geosynchronous satellites. The method enables time synchronization with femtosecond precision and robustness in atmospheric disturbances.

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 21, 2023

Researchers analyze THC in breath of cannabis smokers

A study by NIST and University of Colorado Boulder collected breath samples from participants before and after smoking high-THC cannabis, revealing that distinguishing between recent use and past use remains challenging. The research aimed to develop a reproducible protocol for breath measurements, which will help answer key questions ...

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·JournalJournal of Breath Research·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 22, 2023

NIST develops new nondestructive method for assessing bioengineered artificial tissues

Researchers at NIST have developed a real-time technique to noninvasively count the number of live cells in a 3D artificial scaffold, meeting an unmet need in tissue engineering. The method uses optical coherence tomography and is label-free, reducing time and cost compared to earlier methods.

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·JournalJournal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A·DateMar 14, 2023

How digital twins could protect manufacturers from cyberattacks

A new cybersecurity framework uses digital twin technology, machine learning, and human expertise to detect cyberattacks in manufacturing processes. The framework analyzes continuous data streams from physical machines and their digital twins to identify irregularities and flag potential threats.

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·JournalIEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering·DateFeb 23, 2023

Molecules have an orientation, and scientists have a new way to measure it

Researchers at NIST have measured the 3D orientation of polymer chains in plastics, observing complex patterns that dictate material properties. The new technique uses polarization-controlled coherent Raman microscopy to identify molecular orientation patterns, allowing for optimized materials in industries like medicine and electronics.

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·TypeImaging analysis·DateDec 8, 2022

NIST finds a sweet new way to print microchip patterns on curvy surfaces

Researchers have found a way to transfer precise micro Patterns onto unconventional surfaces, including curved surfaces and fibers. This technique, called REFLEX, could open up new possibilities for the development of new materials and microstructures in fields such as electronics and biomedical engineering.

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 24, 2022