Scientists develop a clock so precise that it could detect dark matter

You may not be able to wear it on your wrist, but physicists have created two clocks so accurate that they will not waste time in the next 15 billion years.

The research, published Wednesday in Nature, describes an atomic clock using an optical network composed of laser beams trapping ytterbium atoms. Each atom has a constant vibration frequency, which allows physicists to measure the transition of ytterbium atoms between two levels of energy – essentially creating the "tick" of the clock.

Notably, physicists based at the National Institute of Standardization and Technology (NIST) in Maryland compared two independent atomic clocks to record new benchmarks of historical performance under three key metrics: systematic uncertainty, stability and reproducibility.

Andrew Ludlow, project manager, told NIST that these three measures can be considered the "royal solution". "Flush of performance" for atomic clocks. The ability to reproduce the accuracy of the ytterbium lattice clock in two independent experiments is of particular importance as it shows for the first time, according to Ludlow, that its performance is "limited by the gravitational effects of the Earth".

Einstein's theory of general relativity suggests that gravity plays a fundamental role in time. Think of the aquatic world of Interstellar where every hour that pbades on the planet equals seven Earth years because of its high gravity. In the case of the ytterbium network clock here, the vibratory frequency will change under a different gravity – the atoms would vibrate at a different speed from the aquatic world of Interstellar compared to that of the Earth.

And physicists can use Einstein's theory to their advantage. . The NIST atomic clock becomes so sensitive that moving it away from the surface of the Earth would produce a noticeable difference in the way the clock ticks. Concretely, it means that the clock can measure not only the time … but the space-time .

Cue blues minds.

With such precision, the clock could theoretically be used to detect cosmic phenomena such as as gravitational waves or dark matter. Although we do not know exactly what is the dark matter provided that it has effects on physical constants, it is possible to see it.

This breakthrough also marks an important turning point for the Earth, allowing for unprecedented measurements when studying the orientation of the Earth in space and its form. If more of these clocks were scattered all over the world, the accuracy of the clock would solve measurements of the shape of the Earth to an inch – better than any current technology.

In September, the cryogenic oscillator of sapphire – or Cryoclock – was unveiled by researchers at the University of Adelaide . This clock, which works a bit differently from the optical network clock described today, was developed for radar communications. Sometimes I can not even look at my watch without being absolutely stunned on time, so I tell you to raise your hand for a precise revolution of the clock.

This is the moment.

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