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Atomic Clock Turns 50
karvind writes "BBC has an interesting story on the 50th birthday of atomic clocks. The first accurate caesium atomic clock was developed at the NPL in 1955 by Dr Louis Essen. And after 5 decades In September the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) used computer chip fabrication techniques to make a small atomic clock. The final development should see a battery-operated system about the size of a sugar lump. NIST also has a page on history of atomic clocks"
It seems that more and more of everything is sync'd with this. My clock radio at home auto-updates, clock on the wall, the cellphones, my Linux and Mac PC's and cable box.
Only thing left are the clocks with a single AA battery on the wall, and at some point they are going to use the pervasive WWVB time signal that is broadcast from Colorado and operated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology
This technology has really come a long way and is deeply embedded within our lives. Especially if you consider that before the atomic clock, time varied considerably between different locales.
Newsfollow.com
That article is not precise! The atomic clock is 50.00000100121412235901293409234 years old as I'm writing this.
Four scientists, as they flip the switch on their new invention ...
... ...
#1: Gee, Ed, it looks like it works
#2: Bob, you're right! It's counting! We did it!
#1: It seems to be right on, let's fire up the chronotaph
#3: Already there, Bob, I have a solid register, five-nines. I started the paper before you hit the button.
#1: Good thinking, Stan. This is one for the record books!
#2: This is a clock for your ass, Ed! I guess we should set it now.
#4: Okay guys (looks at watch) what have you got? I'm showing a quarter past two.
Anyone see that article a couple of weeks ago in New Scientist about Strontium atoms held in standing waves generated by 6 lasers? Mental. A 50 time more accurate (or something).
...the worlds first atomic wristwatch.
That's like asking how does the "clock" in your computer get set to the right time. (Not the system clock, the crystal that generates the clock frequency the electronics operate off of).
Atomic clocks just "tick", not display an actual time. They provide an extremely reliable and high frequency tick which makes them so valuable.
=Smidge=
"I believe time travels slower at the equator than at the polls."
I don't know about that. When I was standing in line at the polls back in November, time seemed to drag on. Now, afterwards, it's dragging on even longer while we here in Washington State are still wondering who our governor is.
What's that? You meant poles? My mistake.
Give me my freedom, and I'll take care of my own security, thank you.