Thorium Nuclear Clock Ticks with a Whisper of Light ⚡ экспресс
Original: "Continuous-wave laser absorption spectroscopy of the Thorium-229 nucleus"
Scientists excited a thorium nucleus with an ultra-weak continuous laser, bringing us a step closer to the most stable clock ever.
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A laser as weak as a whisper can now tickle an atomic nucleus, creating a clock that might never lose a second. Thorium-229, sealed in a crystal, could one day reveal if the laws of physics drift over time.
🎯 Thorium-229 is the only nucleus that responds to such a faint whisper of light: its excitation energy is a mere 8 electronvolts, compared to the millions required by other nuclei. That’s the difference between a soft sigh and a thunderclap.