Uploaded December 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
From the Radiolab podcast: In today’s story, which originally aired in 2014, we meet a very special cylinder. It's the gold standard (or in this case, the platinum-iridium standard) for measuring mass. For decades it's been coddled and cared for and treated like a tiny king. But, as we learn from writer Andrew Marantz, things change — even things that were specifically designed to stay the same.
Special thanks to Ken Alder, Ari Adland, Eric Perlmutter, Terry Quinn and Richard Davis.
And to the musical group, His Majestys Sagbutts & Cornetts, for the use of their song “Horses and Hounds.”
EPISODE CREDITS:
Reported by Andrew Marantz and Latif Nasser.
Produced by Lynn Levy.
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Photo illustration by Jared Bartman
Video by W. Harry Fortuna
From the Radiolab podcast: In today’s story, which originally aired in 2014, we meet a very special cylinder. It's the gold standard (or in this case, the platinum-iridium standard) for measuring mass. For decades it's been coddled and cared for and treated like a tiny king. But, as we learn from writer Andrew Marantz, things change — even things that were specifically designed to stay the same.
Special thanks to Ken Alder, Ari Adland, Eric Perlmutter, Terry Quinn and Richard Davis.
And to the musical group, His Majestys Sagbutts & Cornetts, for the use of their song “Horses and Hounds.”
EPISODE CREDITS:
Reported by Andrew Marantz and Latif Nasser.
Produced by Lynn Levy.
🎧 Subscribe to Radiolab wherever you listen to podcasts: lnk.to/radiolab!youtube
🔎 Subscribe to Radiolab on YouTube: bit.ly/3I9KI53
🖋 Subscribe to Radiolab’s Newsletter: radiolab.org/newsletter
🌱 Check out Radiolab's Starter Kit Playlist: bit.ly/3sX8f4P
👍 Like this video ✏️ and leave us a comment!
Follow Radiolab:
Instagram — instagram.com/radiolab
X — https://x.com/Radiolab
Facebook — facebook.com/Radiolab
Threads — threads.net/@radiolab
TikTok — tiktok.com/@radiolab
Our newsletter includes short essays, recommendations, and details about other ways to interact with the show. Sign up here: radiolab.org/newsletter
Support Radiolab by becoming a member of The Lab today: radiolab.org/the-lab
Photo illustration by Jared Bartman
Video by W. Harry Fortuna
