Scientists in Austria and China create the world’s first nuclear clocks. Here’s why it matters

Scientists in Austria and China have developed the world's first nuclear clocks, a breakthrough that could revolutionize our understanding of fundamental physics. These novel atomic clocks measure time by monitoring transitions within the atomic nucleus, involving protons and neutrons. Though initially created in 1949, traditional atomic clocks, which do not utilize nuclear fusion or fission, have relied on electrons jumping between energy levels in atoms.

These groundbreaking research findings, reported separately in two papers published in Nature, utilized thorium-229, a rare atom known to switch energy states using ultraviolet light from a laser. The team from China's Tsinghua University and various institutions in China and Austria's TU Wien built a laser capable of emitting ultraviolet light at 148.4 nanometres, which was then directed at small calcium fluoride crystals containing thorium-229.

The key discovery was the successful functioning of the nuclear clock, maintaining a precision level of approximately one part in a quadrillion (10⁻¹⁵) over the test period.

While highly precise timekeeping is crucial for everyday technologies such as satellite navigation and telecommunications, nuclear clocks could potentially enhance the accuracy of these systems. Moreover, these clocks could prove significant in the realm of fundamental physics, although the paper does not explicitly outline specific use cases.