The new value, 6.67387×10^-11 m^3 kg^-1 s^-2, is 0.0235% below the result the team tried to reproduce and diverges from CODATA's recommended figure.
The nearly decade-long experiment used a torsion balance in vacuum, with precision hinging on tight control of temperature, pressure and other tiny effects.
Published in Metrologia on 16 April, the result extends a 225-year struggle to pin down Big G and may improve ultra-precise measurements even without implying new physics.
Does the struggle to measure gravity's strength hint at new physics instead of just experimental error?
Why has our best-ever measurement of gravity's constant only deepened the mystery of its true value?
The 2026 NIST Breakthrough: Precise Measurement of Big G Uncovers Persistent 0.0235% Gap
Overview
In 2026, NIST announced a new measurement of the gravitational constant G that was 0.0235% lower than the previous 2007 benchmark, highlighting persistent challenges in precisely measuring gravity due to its extreme weakness and sensitivity to environmental interference. To overcome this, NIST used advanced methods including a torsion balance, dual validation techniques, and blind analysis. Despite these efforts, the discrepancy revealed hidden systematic errors and intensified tensions in the scientific community, leading the project leader to step back. Emerging quantum sensors and space-based experiments offer hope for future breakthroughs, while the ongoing quest drives innovation in measurement technology and deepens our understanding of gravity’s elusive nature.