subbiesrock Posted December 28, 2010 Report Share Posted December 28, 2010 An article I was reading stated this interesting fact about advances in atomic clocks that I thought the horologically minded might like. A single ion tells time A single aluminum ion, vibrating a quadrillion times a second, is the basis for a new “quantum logic” clock developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. A prototype of the clock remains accurate to within a second every 3.7 billion years—significantly better than the current U.S. civilian time standard, a cesium fountain clock accurate to within a second every 100 million years. The General Conference on Weights and Measures, based in France, may consider the design for a new international time standard. Such precise clocks are used to synchronize telecommunications networks and deep-space communications and to assist satellite navigation and positioning. They could also lead to new types of space-based gravity sensors, used to locate underground natural resources. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asf Posted December 29, 2010 Report Share Posted December 29, 2010 jesus....id be long dead and that clock would be still running Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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