First functional thorium nuclear clock hints at new physics
TL;DR
Scientists report the first functioning thorium-229 nuclear clock, which uses a low-energy nuclear transition excited by UV lasers and operates continuously in a crystal at room temperature. The clock promises long-term stability that could surpass some optical clocks, enabling tests of fundamental forces beyond the Standard Model and offering a new avenue to search for dark matter, with potential future uses in navigation and communications as the technology matures.
- The world's first nuclear clock just ticked on — and it could help detect a fifth fundamental force of physics Live Science
- Success! Physicists Build The World's First Clocks Powered by Atomic Nuclei ScienceAlert
- Dark Matter And Fundamental Physics Are Exciting Applications for First-of-Its-Kind Nuclear Clock. IFLScience
- Scientists Just Built The Most Accurate Clock In History. The Universe May Reveal Its Secrets. The Daily Wire
- First working nuclear clock heralds a new era in timekeeping New Scientist
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