Measurement is one of humanity's oldest practices, essential for trade, construction, science, and daily life.
Ancient Measurements
Early civilizations used body parts as references: the Egyptian cubit (forearm length), the Roman foot, and the Chinese chi. These units varied between regions and eras.
Standardization
The French Revolution brought the metric system in 1799, defining the metre as one ten-millionth of the distance from the North Pole to the Equator. The British Imperial system was formalized in 1824.
Modern Era
In 1960, the International System of Units (SI) was established. Today the metre is defined by the speed of light: the distance light travels in 1/299,792,458 of a second.