Chris Eubank Jr. has reportedly been fined for being “0.05 lb overweight” at the weigh in for tonight’s middleweight boxing match with Conor Benn.
Continue reading “For Chris Eubank Jr, the cost of professional boxing not going metric is £375 000”
HAPP one-day conference on the history of measurement
The St Cross Centre for the History and Philosophy of Physics (HAPP) is holding a one-day conference on the history of measurement at the Mathematical Institute in Oxford on Saturday 7 June 2025 from 10.30 am – 5.00 pm BST. Participants can register to attend in person or online. Everyone is welcome to attend. Registration to attend this conference is free but booking is required to attend the conference in person or online.
Continue reading “HAPP one-day conference on the history of measurement”Lib Dems block ability of Minister to allow metric measures for draught beer
The Liberal Democrats have become the latest political party to join the populist “save the pint” bandwagon. However, on this occasion their action will not only preserve the use of the imperial pint as the only legal measurement unit for the dispensing of draught beer, but arguably it will also prevent government Ministers from allowing metric measures for draught beer in the future, even if only as an optional alternative to pints.
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NHS to Fight Obesity
On 18 March, the Times reported that NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) had opened a consultation on an updated version of their general guidance document in which it proposed that millions should have an annual weigh-in to fight obesity. These weigh-ins would take place at doctor’s surgeries and will be aimed at those who have certain conditions including diabetes, arthritis and heart failure. The consultation runs until 15 April 2025. [Ref 1, 2, 3]
Continue reading “NHS to Fight Obesity”Could metrication have shortened World War I by 2 years, and saved millions of lives?
In a follow up to an article last year, about the occasion in 1904 when Parliament came close to fully-adopting the metric system, we consider one of the possible consequences of this failure.
Speedometers and Metrication
How are speedometers designed to accommodate the change from mph to km/h? In this article I will examine a variety of techniques and at the end of the article I will propose a 21st Century solution.
Continue reading “Speedometers and Metrication”20 years of metric speed limits in Ireland
Today marks the 20th anniversary of the metrication of speed limits in the Republic of Ireland. 20 January 2005 was the day that all speed limits in Ireland switched from mph to km/h.
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Does the Traffic Signs Manual promote the illegal use of imperial-only vehicle restriction signs?
Eight years after the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions (TSRGD) were updated to require all new vehicle restriction signs to show vehicle width and height restrictions in both metric and imperial units, the Department for Transport’s Traffic Signs Manual (TSM) has still not been fully updated to take account of the fact that new imperial-only vehicle restriction signs are no longer authorised.
The case for Mondopoint shoe sizes
Mondopoint is a footwear sizing system based on the foot length and linear width of the foot and is measured in millimetres. It is part of ISO standard 9407:2019, which describes the specification for Mondopoint system of sizing and marking. 1 It has the potential to replace various mutually incompatible shoe sizing systems used in different countries. Most of these systems use arbitrary numbers that do not relate to anything obvious. Even worse, different sizing systems are often used for men, women and children.
Continue reading “The case for Mondopoint shoe sizes”Official thinking on dual unit road signs in the 1960’s
HM Government looked at the case for and against the use of dual unit road signs as an intermediate step in the metrication of road signs in the second half of the 1960’s. Three different methods for dual unit sign conversion were evaluated and some technical issues related to dual unit signs were discussed. The findings and illustrations from the National Archive papers are presented here.
Continue reading “Official thinking on dual unit road signs in the 1960’s”
