Thorium Clocks Start Ticking With Lasers

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1. 45m ago

   Thorium Clocks Start Ticking With Lasers

   Researchers in Vienna and Beijing have successfully built the first nuclear clocks using thorium-229, achieving timekeeping with lasers. Two independent teams have locked lasers to the nucleus of thorium-229, with one clock running untouched for over a day. This development could potentially make atomic clocks obsolete. The thorium-229 optical nuclear clock with a feedback loop has been hailed as a superior timekeeping technology.

   Why it matters

   Nuclear clocks use the nucleus of an atom to measure time, which could provide more precise timekeeping than atomic clocks that use electrons. The development of thorium-229 nuclear clocks marks a significant milestone in the quest for more accurate timekeeping technology. This innovation has the potential to impact various fields that rely on precise timekeeping, such as navigation, telecommunications, and scientific research. The achievement builds on previous research and experiments with thorium-229.

   What is confirmed

   • Two independent teams have locked lasers to the nucleus of thorium-229 and kept time with it.
   • One thorium-229 nuclear clock ran untouched for more than a day.
   • Thorium-229 nuclear clocks use the nucleus of an atom to measure time.
   • The thorium-229 optical nuclear clock with a feedback loop has been developed.

   Still unconfirmed

   • These nuclear clocks could make atomic clocks obsolete.

   What to watch next

   • Further refinement of thorium-229 nuclear clock technology
   • Comparison of thorium-229 clocks with existing atomic clocks
   • Potential applications of thorium-229 nuclear clocks in various fields
   Sources used for this update (12)

   1. The New York Times — In Vienna and Beijing, the First Nuclear Clocks Begin to Tick
   2. Nature — A thorium-229 optical nuclear clock with feedback loop
   3. American Physical Society — First Nuclear Clocks Kick Off a Precision Race
   4. Science Daily — Scientists build a nuclear clock that could make atomic clocks obsolete
   5. Hackaday — Thorium Clocks Start Ticking With Lasers
   6. www.martincid.com — The first nuclear clocks are ticking in Vienna and Beijing ...
   7. hackaday.com — Thorium Clocks Start Ticking With Lasers | Hackaday
   8. www.fool.com — Best Real Estate Investment Funds for 2026 - The Motley Fool
   9. southafricalists.com — Top 13 Funding For Property Development In South Africa (2026)
   10. www.hl.co.uk — Property Funds | Commercial Investment Sector Research & Review
   11. www.ooba.co.za — Property Finance: 5 Powerful Ways to Fund Your Investment ...
   12. hackaday.com — Using Kirigami Techniques To Make Functional Designs | Hackaday
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