Researchers Develop First Prototype of Optical Nuclear Clock Using Thorium Atoms
By
Aaron Greenbaum
Summary
Researchers have developed a prototype for an "optical nuclear clock" that uses lasers and thorium atoms, potentially becoming the most precise time-keeping instrument ever made. This breakthrough comes after decades of theoretical work on nuclear clocks, which promise even greater accuracy than current atomic clocks by leveraging the atomic nucleus rather than electron transitions.
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Key quotes
· 3 pulledPerfect timekeeping is more complicated than you think.
Atomic clocks are currently the most advanced timekeepers we have conceived. Or at least they were, before nuclear clocks were invented.
Earlier this month, researchers developed a prototype for an 'optical nuclear clock,' a timekee
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