Skip to main content

Up Next

Back to Show
It's Okay to Be Smart

How the Meter Became The Meter

Season 5 Episode 6

The meter is the world’s ultimate measure, but how did it become “the” meter? What is this measurement based on? The story of this revolution in measurement traces its roots to the French Revolution. Scientists decided that an equal and united people should have equal and united measures. So they sent a pair of young astronomers out to measure the world, and invent the meter.

Only Available with Passport Starting
Season
The Truth About Butterfly Metamorphosis (It's Very Weird)
13:54
Butterfly metamorphosis is one of nature’s most magical transformations.
How Scorpions Became Earth’s Ultimate Survivors
14:03
Scorpions are an evolutionary marvel with venom that could save lives.
Lab-Grown Meat is Here… and I Taste-Tested It!
14:29
Join me on my visit to the most advanced cultivated meat production facility in the world.
The Deadly Chemistry That Made Life Interesting
14:03
Life on Earth may have stayed boring and small if it weren’t thanks to one deadly element.
How the CIA Secretly Spied On Climate Change
17:58
How the CIA used Cold War technology to study and combat climate change
Why Y Is a Vowel According to Physics (and so is W)
13:58
The secret physics at the core of every syllable, starting with the first words we speak.
How To Go Faster Than Light Speed
9:56
The glow from faster-than-light particles gives us a unique way to explore the universe.
The Mystery Behind Earth’s Most Epic Migration
10:40
A mysterious and highly impactful phenomenon that scientists are still learning about.
Why Does Every Animal Look Like This?
9:10
Countershading is everywhere, and it may be nature’s most successful form of camouflage.
Can We Solve the Air Conditioning Paradox?
12:59
Global warming means more air conditioning…causing more warming 🤦. Could new chemistry he
What Makes Birds, Beetles, and Bubbles Shine So Beautifully?
14:49
How does iridescence work? From rainbow bubbles to beautiful birds, bugs, and gemstones.
The Dark Origins of the Scientific Method
11:53
Under house arrest in Egypt, one mathematician transformed how we examine the world.
Active loading indicator