Top 10 News Stories from 2025
As 2025 — and our celebrations marking the 150th Anniversary of the Metre Convention, and the BIPM itself — come to a close, we look back on a milestone year that honoured our history while advancing scientific work across time, chemistry, ionizing radiation and mass/physical metrology. From major collaborations to technical breakthroughs and capacity-building efforts, here are ten of the most significant news stories that shaped this anniversary year.
1. Celebrating 150 Years of the Metre Convention — A Global Milestone
2025 saw the global metrology community come together to mark 150 years since the signing of the Metre Convention. Flagship events including international gatherings, public webinars, and scientific sessions reminded us why measurement science matters worldwide — and created lasting digital resources of talks, videos and educational material.
Get the details: A Celebration of 150 Years of the Metre Convention | End of Year Highlights
2. Summer Schools Expand Training Opportunities for UTC Laboratories
Training in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) remains one of the most valuable ways to strengthen technical understanding and support global participation in timekeeping. In 2025, BIPM delivered UTC Summer Schools both at its headquarters in Sèvres and through a regional programme in Mexico — giving participants practical guidance from experts and building global collaboration.
Get the details: UTC Summer School at the BIPM | UTC Summer School in Mexico
3. Latest Updates from the 2025 CCTF Meeting — Shaping the Future of Timekeeping
The 2025 meeting of the Consultative Committee for Time and Frequency (CCTF) marked an important moment for international timekeeping. Discussions advanced work toward a future redefinition of the second, examined options for a more resilient and continuous Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), and explored emerging topics such as lunar timekeeping. Together, these updates reflect how time metrology is evolving to meet scientific, technological and societal needs.
Get the details: Latest Updates from the 2025 CCTF Meeting
4. Metrologia Transitions to Full Open Access
In a major step forward for open science in measurement, Metrologia — the leading international journal in metrology — became fully open access in 2025. This transition enables researchers worldwide to access high-quality metrology research without paywalls, supporting global collaboration and equity in science.
Get the details: Metrologia to Fully Open Access
5. Sharing Practical Expertise: 2025 Kibble Balance Technical Meeting
Held at the BIPM in November, the 2025 Kibble Balance Technical Meeting brought together the international mass metrology community to exchange progress on realizing the kilogram and expanding applications of precision mass measurement. A special knowledge-transfer session introduced early-career researchers and new entrants to core Kibble balance concepts, reinforcing the meeting’s role as a practical forum for sustaining expertise across generations.
Get the details: 2025 Kibble Balance Technical Meeting
6. CCRI Workshop on the Evolution of Ionizing Radiation Metrology
In 2025, the BIPM’s Ionizing Radiation Department marked its 65th anniversary — a milestone reflected in a dedicated CCRI workshop held at the BIPM in November. The meeting brought together international experts to review the evolution of ionizing radiation metrology, from the development of core radiation units and global measurement networks to current and emerging priorities in medicine, environmental monitoring and fusion research. Together, the discussions highlighted both the continuity of international cooperation and the innovation shaping the future of the field.
Get the details: CCRI Workshop Explores the Past and Future of Ionizing Radiation Metrology
7. Metrology in the Digital Age — The Critical Role of Trustworthy Data and AI
As digital transformation advances, 2025 saw BIPM placing renewed emphasis on trustworthy data practices, FAIR data principles, and the role of measurement science in supporting reliable data and AI-driven systems — a reflection of metrology’s evolving role in a data-centric world.
Get the details: Metrology in the Digital Age
8. Measuring Accurately for Clean Air and Blue Skies — Environmental Metrology for the Planet
Environmental measurement remained a key priority in 2025, with major progress in ozone and air-quality metrology, gas standards, and collaborations to strengthen global environmental monitoring. These advances will help inform policy, public health, and climate science worldwide.
Get the details: Measuring Accurately for Clean Air and Blue Skies | A Global Thank You to the Ozone Measurement Community
9. BIPM150: Nine Standout Scientific Posters Announced — Showcasing Global Metrology Innovation
As part of the 150th anniversary, BIPM released a collection of scientific posters submitted by National Metrology Institutes and Designated Institutes worldwide. These posters highlight cutting-edge research and emerging innovations across multiple metrology fields, from fundamental measurement science to applied areas like digital data and environmental metrology.
Get the details: BIPM150 Scientific Posters
10. BIPM Director Martin Milton Concludes His Term
Director Martin Milton ended his term in December 2025 after leading the BIPM through a period of significant growth and reflection, including the landmark 150th anniversary of the Metre Convention. With Director-Designate Dr Annette Koo set to take up office in 2026, the BIPM enters its next phase with continuity in leadership and purpose.
Get the details: Director Martin Milton – Farewell Message
Audience Choice — Top 5 Most-Watched Videos of 2025
In addition to published news stories, video content drew significant engagement across YouTube and LinkedIn in 2025. These five videos — ranging from expert interviews to major anniversary events — were the most viewed and shared by our audience this year.
- The BIPM-UNESCO World Metrology Day Livestream: A historic broadcast from UNESCO Headquarters marking World Metrology Day 2025 and celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the Metre Convention.
- Why Measurement Still Matters: A Video Celebrating 150 Years of Global Metrology
- The SI by William D. Phillips: An important Keynote from the World Metrology Day Symposium 2025
- BIPM Director's Message: Martin Milton Explains the Importance of the Metre Convention and Invites us to join in Celebrations for BIPM150
- How Can Metrology Support Global Policy?: A compilation video featuring voices from the BIPM 150th Anniversary
Access all of BIPM150 Keynote Addresses and Panel discussions here and watch our short BIPM150 Expert Insights video interviews for bitesize explainers on some of the key topics metrology is tackling today.
Looking Ahead to 2026 and Beyond
With the 150th anniversary celebrations now behind us, the BIPM is looking forward — guided by a renewed strategy and a clear vision for the future. The priorities set in 2025, together with global collaboration, open science, capacity building and scientific innovation, will shape the next chapter of international metrology under the upcoming 28th CGPM in 2026.