Thorium Nuclear Clocks: A New Frontier of Precision ⚡ экспресс
Original: "Prospects for a Solid-State Nuclear Clock"
Clocks based on the thorium-229 nucleus could become the most precise time-measuring instruments, surpassing all existing atomic clocks.
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Imagine a clock that would lose only one second over the entire age of the Universe. Engineers are now mastering the nuclear transition of thorium-229: one 'tick' lasts 641 seconds. If they can overcome the jitter of the crystal lattice, it could detect gravitational waves or capture dark matter right here on Earth.
🎯 Thorium-229 is the only nucleus whose transition can be triggered by a regular ultraviolet laser, rather than hazardous gamma radiation. This makes the experiments tabletop and safe.