The first ticking ‘nuclear clocks’ are here
Physicists in Europe and China have successfully developed the world's first nuclear clocks, which use the energy states of an atom's nucleus rather than electrons to measure time. These devices are expected to be more robust and precise than current atomic clocks, offering new ways to study fundamental physics.
Why it matters
Nuclear clocks represent a significant technological leap that could redefine the standard for timekeeping and provide tools for discovering new physical phenomena.
Two teams of physicists have made the world’s first nuclear clocks . These radical new devices keep time using fluctuations in the energy states of an atom’s nucleus, rather than those of its electrons, which atomic clocks currently use to define the length of a second.
The article provides a technical overview of a scientific breakthrough based on peer-reviewed research.
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