Nuclear Clocks Developed Using Thorium-229

• •Two teams have developed thorium-229 nuclear clock prototypes.
• •These clocks offer potentially unprecedented accuracy in timekeeping.
• •The Vienna clock stabilizes like atomic clocks, while the Beijing clock is six times more stable.

Two independent teams in Vienna and Beijing have successfully built working prototypes of thorium-229 nuclear clocks. Unlike traditional atomic clocks that rely on electron transitions, these new clocks utilize laser technology to measure energy state changes within the thorium nucleus. This innovative approach promises significantly higher accuracy, potentially allowing timekeeping with an uncertainty of 1 second over billions of years. The Vienna clock reportedly stabilizes itself similarly to atomic clocks, while the Beijing version is noted to be six times more stable. Both prototypes were detailed in studies published in the journal Nature on October 7, 2026. The development of these nuclear clocks could enhance precision in various scientific fields, including dark matter research. Current atomic clocks can only maintain accuracy to 1 second every 300 million years, making the potential improvements from nuclear clocks substantial. The research marks a significant advancement in timekeeping technology, moving towards a new era of precision.