Kilogram got fat

Question

What are we measuring it, in pounds? Lol!

HT news.

The official kilogram - a cylinder-shaped hunk of metal - that defines the fundamental unit of mass, has itself gained weight, scientists say.

Scientists at Newscastle University have found that due to surface contamination the original kilogram is likely to be tens of micrograms heavier than it was when the first standard was set in 1875.

"It doesn't really matter what it weighs as long as we are all working to the same exact standard - the problem is there are slight differences. Around the world, the IPK and its 40 replicas are all growing at different rates, diverging from the original," Cumpson said.

"We're only talking about a very small change – less than 100 micrograms – so, unfortunately, we can't all take a couple of kilograms off our weight and pretend the Christmas over-indulgence never happened," Cumpson added.