The Weight of a Kilogram?

Who would think that a small lump of metal stored in a Paris vault has set the standard of a kilogram weight since 1889?
Le Grand K is a cylinder of Titanium Alloy held in a Parisian vault accessible only by three key holders; essentially all scales in the world are calibrated against this benchmark. It doesn’t matter what is being measured, the comparison of weight is ultimately against this standard.
But there’s an issue…..
Over the years, this benchmark item has lost some of it’s atoms, and as a result, it has lost mass too. Blink and you’ll miss them, these atoms may seem unimportant, but when it comes to finite accuracy (medication measures for example), a change in the amount of a component is vital.
So, what’s going to happen?
A vote is being held on 16th November by scientists from all over the world; they will cast their vote to decide whether Le Grand K will continue to be the measure of a kilogram, or if an alternative method should be used.
Work is taking place on using a method that no longer relies on a physical object against which weight can be compared. The Kibble Balance uses electromagnetic force to counter the downward force of gravity, and can create results of extreme accuracy. Detailed information about this process can be found here:
http://www.npl.co.uk/educate-explore/kibble-balance/