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New Most Precise Clock Based On Aluminum Ion
eldavojohn writes "The National Institute for Standards and Technology has unveiled a new clock that will 'neither gain nor lose one second in about 3.7 billion years,' making it an atomic clock twice as precise as the previous pacesetter, which was based on mercury atoms. Experts call it a 'milestone for atomic clocks.' The press release describes the workings: 'The logic clock is based on a single aluminum ion (electrically charged atom) trapped by electric fields and vibrating at ultraviolet light frequencies, which are 100,000 times higher than microwave frequencies used in NIST-F1 and other similar time standards around the world.' This makes the aluminum ion clock a contender to replace the standard cesium fountain clock (within 1 second in about 100 million years) as NIST's standard. For those of you asking 'So what?' the article describes the important applications such a device holds: 'The extreme precision offered by optical clocks is already providing record measurements of possible changes in the fundamental "constants" of nature, a line of inquiry that has important implications for cosmology and tests of the laws of physics, such as Einstein's theories of special and general relativity. Next-generation clocks might lead to new types of gravity sensors for exploring underground natural resources and fundamental studies of the Earth. Other possible applications may include ultra-precise autonomous navigation, such as landing planes by GPS.'"
Does anybody really know what time it is?
Does anybody really care?
General Relativity: Space-time tells matter where to go; Matter tells space-time what shape to be.
For the domestic market they can use the marketing angle that aluminium is safer than mercury, and that it will case less pollution when you come to trade it in.
In fact, I think I'll order one now.
neither gain nor lose one second in about 3.7 billion years
Location: 3.7 billion years from now, early December, Planet Earth
Doomsayer: "The ancient "Scientific Community" civilization was so certain a great cataclysm would come in the following months based on their long-lost primitive yet poweful and mythical calculations that they even deemed unnecessary to keep track of time correctly starting this age! The end is near my friends! A new age will come!"