Scientists in Vienna and Beijing Create World's First Nuclear Clocks

Scientists in Vienna and Beijing have developed the world's first two operating nuclear clocks, a significant advance in timekeeping that promises practical applications and a new tool for investigating fundamental physics. The nuclear clocks are based on thorium-229, trapped in solid-state calcium fluoride crystals, and measure time by monitoring how light interacts with the nucleus of an atom. While they have the potential to outperform conventional atomic clocks, they do not yet do so. The researchers are working to perfect the technology, which could lead to more accurate timekeeping and new applications in areas such as satellite-based navigation and metrology.