Have you ever wondered how we know how much a kilogram weighs? Or how long a metre really is? Having reliable, accurate measurement is of prime importance to industrial processes and scientific research and affects almost everything within our everyday lives. It is the job of the National Measurement Institute (NMI) to support Australians in making measurements that are accurate, fit for purpose, and recognised internationally.

One of the most important breakthroughs in science and technology recently occurred in Switzerland as the Large Hadron Collider produced the first clear evidence of a collision of particles, the first major achievement of a project to which Australia has contributed $700m.

Have you ever wondered what nanotechnology actually is? According to Joe Shapter, an expert in Nanotechnolgy from Flinders University in South Australia, nanotechnology is science at the molecular level. Read on to find out more.

Professor Tanya Monro of the University of Adelaide discusses how using nanotechnology could make the costly visual inspection in preventative aircraft maintenance a thing of the past.

Professor Sackett reflects on the contributions that astronomy has made to all of science as part of the International Year of Astronomy.

The Chief Scientist for Australia, Professor Sackett addresses the 2009 Pathfinders – The Innovator’s Conference.