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Political union through science

  • Measure for Measure
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The metric system is one of the enduring achievements of the French Revolution. Martin Milton recounts how it was also intended to unite nations.

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References

  1. Bulwer, H. L. Essai sur Talleyrand 69 (Paris, C. Reinwald, 1868).

  2. Dupont, D. (ed.) Decree of 26 March 1791 adopted by the National Constituent Assembly (Archives Parlementaires, Librairie Administrative, 1886).

  3. Mémoires de l’Institut national des sciences et des arts, Sciences mathématiques et physiques Vol. 2 (Baudouin, Imprimeur de l’Institut National, Fructidor An VII).

  4. Preamble to the Metre Convention. Documents diplomatiques de la Conférence du Mètre (Imprimerie Nationale, 1875).

  5. Proc. 25th Meeting of the General Conference on Weights and Measures 289 (BIPM, 2014).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. International Bureau of Weights and Measures, Sèvres, France

    Martin J. T. Milton

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  1. Martin J. T. Milton
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Correspondence to Martin J. T. Milton.

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Milton, M.J.T. Political union through science. Nat. Phys. 17, 286 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-020-01155-2

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