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The following is a cross-post from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Finance and insurance; retail trade; and health care and social assistance were the leading contributors to the increase in U.S. economic growth in the first quarter of 2019. According to gross domestic product (GDP) by industry statistics released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, 16 of 22 industry groups contributed to...

The following is a cross-post from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Four ocean gliders are setting off to sea this week to bring back data scientists hope will improve the accuracy of hurricane forecast models. The robotic, unmanned gliders are equipped with sensors to measure the salt content (salinity) and temperature as they move through the ocean at different depths....

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, the USPTO will host an event focused on space innovation, technology transfer from the Apollo missions, and an overview of the current administration’s policy on space exploration and space commerce. Mark your calendars and register early. Featured speakers include federal government executives, astronauts, inventors, and commercial space...

The following is a cross-post by the Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) The quantum logic clock—perhaps best known for showing you age faster if you stand on a stool—has climbed back to the leading performance echelons of the world’s experimental atomic clocks. Physicists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have been quietly...

Tropical Storm Barry had top sustained winds of 65 mph on Friday afternoon and could become a hurricane early Saturday, July 13 before making landfall along the coast of Louisiana . The storm is expected to bring dangerous storm surge, high winds and heavy rainfall to portions of the Gulf Coast and lower Mississippi River Valley. The slow movement of Barry will result in long duration heavy...

The following is a cross-post from the U.S. Census Bureau blog World population is estimated to reach 7.58 billion this month as World Population Day is celebrated on July 11 but the U.S. Census Bureau is projecting another milestone: Annual population growth will slip under 1.0% in 2020-2021 for the first time since 1950. The United Nations declared July 11 as World Population Day in 1989, two...

On July 2, the Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) released updated annual statistics on the amount and characteristics of new investments in the United States by foreign investors. Expenditures by foreign direct investors to acquire, establish, or expand U.S. businesses totaled $296.4 billion in 2018, up 8.7 percent from $272.8 billion in 2017. Additional highlights of the...

Ed. note: This post is part of the Spotlight on Commerce series highlighting the contributions of Department of Commerce employees during LGBT Pride Month. Guest blog post by Wyatt Vreeland, Research Chemical Engineer, Material Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) I was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the mid-70’s into a blue-collar working-class family. My...