What makes a meter a meter?

This week's Extra credit assignment is to research various aspects of the measurement we know as the meter:

• Who came up with it?


• Who decided exactly how long it should be, and why?


• Who makes sure that we have an accurate measure of it?


• How do we know it's accurate?


• Where is this kept, and under what conditions?


• Why is it so important that we have a unit such as the meter that is the same all over the world?


• How would an alien from another planet somewhere in our universe be able to tell exactly what the length of a meter is?

After you have presented your research in class (typed or legibly written, no more than two paragraphs), you may enter the information along with a link to where you got it (ALWAYS cite your sources) as a comment below.