World’s First Nuclear Clock Prototype Outperforms Atomic Clocks

A groundbreaking prototype nuclear clock has been developed, promising to surpass the precision of existing atomic clocks, New Atlas reported yesterday.

Atomic clocks, which measure vibrations of atoms like cesium-133, have long been the gold standard for timekeeping, losing only seconds over billions of years. However, nuclear clocks focus on the nucleus, which is significantly smaller and can provide more accurate measurements due to its higher frequency “ticks.”

Researchers at JILA successfully switched thorium-229 nuclei between quantum states using an ultraviolet laser, marking a significant advancement. The new clock employs a series of infrared laser pulses to produce UV light, which excites thorium nuclei to achieve ultra-precise time measurements.

While the current prototype matches the speed of atomic clocks, researchers expect nuclear clocks to surpass them in precision within two to three years. This innovation could revolutionize technologies reliant on precise timekeeping, including GPS and high-speed internet, and enhance scientific exploration into fundamental physics. The findings were published in Nature.