NIST Tech Beat | August 2025

New NIST Reference Material to Strengthen Quality Control for Biological Drugs

NIST has developed a standard reference material to help biopharmaceutical manufacturers better detect particulate impurities that can create undesirable immune responses and drive up costs. Learn more about the new reference material.

NIST Finalizes ‘Lightweight Cryptography’ Standard to Protect Small Devices

Four algorithms are now ready to protect data from the small electronic devices that make up the Internet of Things. Learn more about lightweight cryptography.

New Technique for Measuring DNA Damage Could Improve Cancer Therapy and Radiological Emergency Response

The technology, which may someday be as portable as a smartphone, promises faster and more accurate measurements of radiation exposure, potentially saving lives in critical situations. Read more about the new technique for measuring DNA damage.

NIST Guidelines Can Help Organizations Detect Face Photo Morphs, Deter Identity Fraud

New NIST guidelines can help examiners make better use of software to detect face morphs, in which photos of two different people have been combined into one image. Read more about face morph detection efforts.

Wearable, Implantable and Ingestible Medical Devices Could Revolutionize Your Health Care

A NIST researcher is using measurement technology to improve care for patients with a dangerous lung condition. Read more about NIST research on wearable medical devices.

When Concrete Cracks: How Science Can Save Buildings

NIST concrete researchers are doing work that could help prevent cracks that endanger foundations in homes and other structures. Read more about concrete research at NIST.

Alkali-Silica Reaction (ASR): The Silent Threat to Concrete Infrastructure

Alkali-silica reaction, or ASR, is a slow, insidious chemical process that gradually breaks concrete apart from the inside. In this new video, NIST research engineers share insights on how ASR damages critical infrastructure like bridges or nuclear power plants, and they explain the cutting-edge techniques they use to detect it. Watch on YouTube.