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Health & Science3h 51m ago
Using atoms of thorium-229, physicists have built functional clocks based not on the oscillations of electrons, but on the back-and-forth energy shifts of atomic nuclei themselves.
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Europe, China, Austria, Germany
Who
physicists, Luca Toscani De Col, Beichen Huang, Thorsten Schumm
What
Using atoms of thorium-229, physicists have built functional clocks based not on the oscillations of electrons, but on the back-and-forth energy shifts of atomic nuclei themselves.
When
Mon, 15 Jun 2026 12:01:31 GMT · 3h 51m ago
Where
Europe, China, Austria, Germany ·
Why
A nuclear clock, first proposed in 2003, would measure time by tracking energy changes in the nucleus itself, offering greater stability than atomic clocks.
The Frontline Impact
How this affects you
This breakthrough represents a significant advancement in timekeeping technology, paving the way for more stable clocks and powerful tools to explore fundamental physics like dark matter, with potential to surpass current atomic clocks within years.
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3 events in this thread- Health & Science3h 51m agoUsing atoms of thorium-229, physicists have built functional clocks based on the energy shifts of atomic nuclei.Open article
- Currently Reading3h 51m agoUsing atoms of thorium-229, physicists have built functional clocks based not on the oscillations of electrons, but on the back-and-forth energy shifts of atomic nuclei themselves.
- Health & Science3h 51m agoPhysicists have successfully built functional clocks based on the energy shifts of atomic nuclei, a breakthrough achieved independently by two teams in Europe and China.Open article