Scientific teams in Vienna and Beijing have independently developed the world’s first two operational nuclear clocks, marking a significant advancement in timekeeping. These new devices represent the next generation of atomic clocks, which have been in existence since 1949. According to research published in the journal Nature, these nuclear clocks could eventually surpass the accuracy of current atomic clocks, although they do not do so yet.
The term “nuclear clocks” refers not to nuclear fusion or fission, but rather to the method of measuring time through the interaction between a high-powered laser and the nucleus of an atom. Both clocks utilize an isotope of thorium—specifically, thorium-229—trapped in solid-state calcium fluoride crystals. This development has significant implications for practical applications and provides new tools for exploring fundamental physics.
