Researchers at JILA, a joint institute of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have unveiled the world’s first nuclear clock.
The novel technology uses minute impulses from an atom’s nucleus to indicate time.
However, it is currently not more accurate than conventional atomic clocks.
The team of scientists that published its findings in Nature noted that although they are not there yet with their ongoing research on the nuclear clock, their observations are bringing them closer to the level of precision.
“Imagine a wristwatch that wouldn’t lose a second even if you left it running for billions of years,” said Jun Ye, a physicist at NIST and JILA, in a NIST release.
READ ALSO:Scientists discover metallic minerals on deep ocean as oxygen source
“While we’re not quite there yet, this research brings us closer to that level of precision.”
One of the scientists said they had demonstrated that thorium could be utilized as a timekeeper for extremely precise measurements with the unveiling of the first nuclear clock prototype.
“With this prototype, we have proven: Thorium can be used as a timekeeper for ultra-high-precision measurements,” said team member Thorsten Schumm, a physicist at TU Wien, in a university release.
“All that is left to do is technical development work, with no more major obstacles to be expected.”
Join the conversation
Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism
Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.
As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.
If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.
Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.
