Units of length have come a long way: from countless local variants to standardized measures. Peter Sidaway looks back at some milestones.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals
Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription
$29.99 / 30 days
cancel any time
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 print issues and online access
$209.00 per year
only $17.42 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
References
Larousse, P. Grand Dictionnaire Universel du XIXe Siècle 11, 163–164 (Larousse & Boyer, 1874); https://go.nature.com/3rNKaMo
Weights and Measures Act 1824 Legislation.gov.uk; https://go.nature.com/3g2l2P2
Sears, J. E., Johnson, W. H. & Jolly, H. L. P. Philos. Trans. Roy. Soc. A 227, 281–315 (1928).
Research Highlights of the National Bureau of Standards (US Department of Commerce, National Bureau of Standards, 1959).
Badshah, N. Boris Johnson to reportedly bring back imperial measurements to mark platinum jubilee. The Guardian (May 2022); https://go.nature.com/3TfR9ZV
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sidaway, P. A short history of distance. Nat. Phys. 18, 1380 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-022-01817-3
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-022-01817-3