World's First Nuclear Clocks Boot Up in Vienna and Beijing Labs

Independent research teams in Vienna (TU Wien) and Beijing (Tsinghua University) have activated the world's first operational nuclear clocks, publishing their breakthrough prototypes in Nature. The devices measure time by tracking high-powered laser interactions with the nucleus of a thorium-229 isotope trapped in solid-state calcium fluoride crystals. While operational, researchers admit the prototypes remain "far from target performance" and do not yet outperform the legacy atomic clocks built in the 1950s. Future iterations will attempt to merge the higher-concentration thorium crystals developed in Vienna with the stronger laser technology built in Beijing. "The creation of a nuclear clock was something that physicists dreamt of for almost 50 years. In my team, we have been working towards this goal since 2008." — Thorsten Schumm