This is the story of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures—from its origins in the 1860s until today. It highlightes the role of key individuals in the development of the institution and the path from artifact standards of the metre and the kilogram to units based on the fundamental constants of physics.

Spectroscopy, Diffraction and Tomography in Art and Heritage Science gives an overview of the main spectroscopy and diffraction techniques currently available for cultural heritage research. It starts with an introductory, general discussion of spectroscopy and diffraction and the kinds of information they can give. Further sections deal with, respectively, typical laboratory methods, mobile equipment, and large-scale instruments and infrastructural methods. The work concludes with comments on combining and comparing multiple techniques, sources of error, and limitations of the analytical methods. - Explains spectroscopy and diffraction techniques in detail, yet remains accessible to those without a chemistry or physics background - Provides explanations of commonly used terms, such as destructive, non-destructive, non-invasive, in-situ, and ex-situ, and their sometimes-misleading origins - Includes real-world examples that demonstrate how each technique is used in the field - Highlights the complementary use of different analytical techniques in fully interpreting the data

This book explores the contemporary legacy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki following the passage of three quarters of a century, and the role of art and activism in maintaining a critical perspective on the dangers of the nuclear age. It closely interrogates the political and cultural shifts that have accompanied the transition to a nuclearised world. Beginning with the contemporary socio-political and cultural interpretations of the impact and legacy of the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the chapters examine the challenges posed by committed opponents in the cultural and activist fields to the ongoing development of nuclear weapons and the expanding industrial uses of nuclear power. It explores how the aphorism that "all art is political" is borne out in the close relation between art and activism. This multi-disciplinary approach to the socio-political and cultural exploration of nuclear energy in relation to Hiroshima/Nagasaki via the arts will be of interest to students and scholars of peace and conflict studies, social political and cultural studies, fine arts, and art and aesthetic studies.

This book is an introduction to the study of artefacts, setting them in a social context rather than using a purely scientific approach. Drawing on a range of different cultures and extensively illustrated, Archaeological Artefacts and Material Culture covers everything from recovery strategies and recording procedures to interpretation through typology, ethnography and experiment, and every type of material including wood, fibers, bones, hides and adhesives, stone, clay, and metals. With over seventy illustrations with almost fifty in full colour, this book not only provides the tools an archaeologist will need to interpret past societies from their artefacts, but also a keen appreciation of the beauty and tactility involved in working with these fascinating objects. This is a book no archaeologist should be without, but it will also appeal to anybody interested in the interaction between people and objects.

Atom probe microscopy enables the characterization of materials structure and chemistry in three dimensions with near-atomic resolution. This uniquely powerful technique has been subject to major instrumental advances over the last decade with the development of wide-field-of-view detectors and pulsed-laser-assisted evaporation that have significantly enhanced the instrument’s capabilities. The field is flourishing, and atom probe microscopy is being embraced as a mainstream characterization technique. This book covers all facets of atom probe microscopy—including field ion microscopy, field desorption microscopy and a strong emphasis on atom probe tomography. Atom Probe Microscopy is aimed at researchers of all experience levels. It will provide the beginner with the theoretical background and practical information necessary to investigate how materials work using atom probe microscopy techniques. This includes detailed explanations of the fundamentals and the instrumentation, contemporary specimen preparation techniques, experimental details, and an overview of the results that can be obtained. The book emphasizes processes for assessing data quality, and the proper implementation of advanced data mining algorithms. Those more experienced in the technique will benefit from the book as a single comprehensive source of indispensable reference information, tables and techniques. Both beginner and expert will value the way that Atom Probe Microscopy is set out in the context of materials science and engineering, and includes references to key recent research outcomes.

The faking and forgery of works of art and antiquities is probably now more extensive than ever before. The frauds are aided by new technologies, from ink jet printers to epoxy resins, and driven by the astronomic prices realised on the global market. This book aims to provide a comprehensive survey of the subject over a wide range of materials, emphasising how the fakes and forgeries are produced and how they may be detected by technical and scientific examination. The subject is exemplified by numerous case studies, some turning out not to be as conclusive as is sometimes believed. The book is aimed at those likely to have a serious interest in these investigations, be they curator, collector, conservator or scientist. Paul Craddock has recently retired from the Department of Conservation, Documentation and Science at the British Museum, where he was a materials scientist.

Raman Spectroscopy in Archaeology and Art History highlights the important contributions Raman spectroscopy makes as a non-destructive method for characterising the chemical composition and structure and in determining the provenance and authenticity of objects of archaeological and historical importance. It brings together studies from diverse areas and represents the first dedicated work on the use of this technique in this increasingly important field. Coverage includes: An Introduction to Raman Spectroscopy, including practical aspects of Raman spectroscopy and complementary techniques; Dyes and Pigments; Artefacts; Biological Materials and Degradation; Jewellery and Precious Stones. The book contains a broad selection of real-world examples in the form of case studies to provide the reader with a true appreciation of the procedures that need to be invoked to derive spectroscopic information from some of the most challenging specimens and systems. Colour illustrations of objects of investigation and a database of 72 Raman spectra of relevant minerals are included. With its extensive examples, Raman Spectroscopy in Archaeology and Art History will be of particular interest to specialists in the field, including researchers and scientific/conservation staff in museums. Academics will find it an invaluable reference to the use of Raman spectroscopy.

Understanding long term corrosion processes is critical in many areas, including archaeology and conservation. This important book reviews key themes such as the processes underlying corrosion over long periods, how corrosion rates can be measured and materials conserved.After an overview of the study and conservation of metal archaeological artefacts, a group of chapters reviews long term corrosion in metals such as steel, iron and bronze. Other chapters review the impact of environmental factors on corrosion rates. The book also considers instrumental techniques for measuring corrosion such as electrochemistry and scanning electron microscopy, as well as ways of modelling corrosion processes. There is also coverage of the effectiveness of corrosion inhibitors.With its distinguished editors and contributors, Corrosion of metallic heritage artefacts improves our understanding of long term corrosion and its effects. It provides a valuable reference for those involved in archaeology and conservation, as well as those dealing with the long term storage of nuclear and other waste. - Reviews long term corrosion in metals such as steel, iron and bronze - Considers instumental techniques such as electrochemistry for measuring corrosion

The technical problems confronting different societies and periods and the measures taken to solve them form the concern of this annual collection of essays. It deals with the history of technical discovery and change and explores the relationship of technology to other aspects of life - social, cultural and economic - and shows how technological development has shaped, and been shaped by, the society in which it occurred.