The vast majority of buildings we live, work and relax in have, in one way or another, caused greenhouse gases to enter our atmosphere, contributing to increasingly extreme weather that many buildings were not designed to withstand. But according to Joannie Chin, director of NIST’s Engineering Laboratory, a better understanding…

By Ming Zheng, a research chemist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Bad Blood Four years ago, I found myself in a doctor’s office for an aging-related problem I started experiencing. To ease my anxiety, my doctor initiated some small talk by asking what I do for a living. …

By Steven Brown, a physicist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) One of the unexpected rewards of working at NIST has been the opportunity to see other disciplines through the NIST prism of measurement science and standards. By working with NASA scientists, astronomers, oceanographers and geologists, I…

By René Peralta, a scientist with the Computer Security Division at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Suppose someone asked you to devise the most powerful computer possible. Alan Turing, whose reputation as a central figure in computer science and artificial intelligence has only grown since his untimely…

By Riley Wilson, social media coordinator at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Preserving our planet’s health is no small feat, and NIST researchers are tackling the challenge from multiple angles. From a more sustainable system for our plastic products to a kelp standard for conservation efforts, NIST’s…

By Greta Babakhanova, a physicist in the Biomaterials Group of the Biosystems and Biomaterials Division at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Physicists have a tendency of turning a complex problem into a simpler model that could be easily digested by mathematical equations or existing theories. Have you…

As the rise of quantum computers becomes the subject of more and more news articles — especially those that prophesy these devices’ ability to crack the encryption that protects secure messages, such as our bank transfers — it’s illuminating to speak with one of the quantum experts who is actually…

A closer look at cybersecurity protections for genomic data By Ronald Pulivarti, a senior cybersecurity engineer at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE) If you had asked me a few years ago about my opinion on the security of my personal information, my response would have centered around my Social Security…

By Greg Fiumara, a computer scientist at NIST After wading through airport security and a turbulent trans-Atlantic flight, the last thing I wanted was more friction arriving back in the USA. However, I was looking forward to using Global Entry, a voluntary Department of Homeland Security program that, after a…