AFP
August 23, 2013
US scientists said Thursday they have built the world’s most precise clock, whose ticking rate varies less than two parts in one quintillion, or 10 times better than any other.
The clock, made from the element ytterbium, could be used for technological advancements beyond timekeeping, such as navigation systems, magnetic fields and temperature.
“The stability of the ytterbium lattice clocks opens the door to a number of exciting practical applications of high-performance timekeeping,” National Institute of Standards and Technology physicist, and co-author of the study revealing the clock, Andrew Ludlow said in a statement.