Pushing a pressure standard A challenge for understanding systems at extreme conditions is knowing the exact pressure at which exotic behaviors occur. This situation is caused by the lack of an absolute pressure-density relationship of standard pressure calibrants. Fratanduono et al. conducted a series of dynamic compression observations on platinum and gold to establish a high-pressure scale for these metals up to terapascal conditions (see the Perpsective by Jeanloz). This work provides a robust calibration when using these standards in high-pressure devices such as diamond anvil cells. Science , abh0364, this issue p. 1063 ; see also abi8015, p. 1037