“The Last Artifact” is a documentary produced by Jaime Jacobsen and Ed Watkins, with funding from NIST, that explores the world of metrology and its importance in modern life. The film focuses on the International Prototype Kilogram, known as Le Grand K, which served as the mass standard for the kilogram for 130 years. The documentary tells the story of measurement science, the transition from material units to natural constants, and the redefinition of units in the International System of Units (SI).
The film was funded with $500,000 from NIST, allowing the producers to create a science film with wide impact. They traveled the globe filming, capturing footage of Le Grand K and interviews with 25 researchers. The documentary culminates in the 2018 General Conference on Weights and Measures meeting in Versailles, where representatives agreed to redefine the kilogram, ampere, kelvin, and mole in terms of natural constants.
“The Last Artifact” has received accolades, including the British Documentary Film Festival’s “Best Documentary Feature” award. PBS Learning Media created a digital learning collection with short videos for grades 5-12, and Jason Learning incorporated videos into a new physics curriculum. The film brings to life the evolution and importance of metrology, the scientific process, and the work behind creation of SI measurement standards that underpin all modern industries and future inventions.
Source: https://www.nist.gov/blogs/taking-measure/last-artifact-brings-metrology-tv
Keywords: Metrology, SI units, Kilogram
