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World's First Nuclear Clocks Developed in Vienna and Beijing
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News18•09-10-2026, 14:07
World's First Nuclear Clocks Developed in Vienna and Beijing
- •Scientists in Vienna and Beijing have independently developed the world's first two operating nuclear clocks, marking a major milestone in timekeeping.
- •Unlike atomic clocks that measure energy transitions of electrons, nuclear clocks track transitions within the atomic nucleus itself using thorium-229.
- •Nuclear transitions are better shielded from external electromagnetic fields, potentially offering greater stability and precision than atomic clocks in the future.
- •While not yet more accurate than existing advanced atomic clocks, the breakthrough could eventually improve GPS, telecommunications, and internet infrastructure.
Key Questions Answered
While conventional atomic clocks track energy transitions involving the electrons surrounding an atom's nucleus, nuclear clocks measure transitions between energy states within the nucleus itself.
Both the Vienna and Beijing research teams used thorium-229, an isotope of the radioactive element thorium, embedded in calcium fluoride crystals to develop their operating nuclear clocks.
No, although nuclear clocks hold the potential for greater future precision because their nuclei are well shielded from external disturbances, the current experimental models are not yet more accurate than the most advanced atomic clocks.
