An international team of scientists has unveiled the world's first prototype of a nuclear clock that could significantly surpass the accuracy of today's atomic clocks. The authors of the project suggest that this could accelerate the development of technologies such as GPS and the Internet. Atomic clocks measure time by counting the vibrations of certain atoms. Nuclear clocks, in turn, focus on the nucleus of an atom, which is 100,000 times smaller than the atom itself. This allows the second to be broken down into smaller pieces and increases resistance to interference. The key is to use lasers to switch particles between quantum states. Nuclear clocks require a more powerful laser, but the thorium-229 nucleus has 2 states that are close in energy, simplifying the process. The researchers successfully calculated the energy difference and for the first time switched thorium nuclei using an ultraviolet laser. They demonstrated all the components needed to create a nuclear clock. Ultraviolet light excites protons and neutrons in a crystal with thorium nuclei, and an “optical frequency comb” makes it possible to make ultra-precise time measurements. The researchers envision that nuclear clocks could surpass atomic clocks in 2-3 years and be more portable and stable. This could lead to better communications, internet and GPS, as well as help scientists learn the basics of physics and search for dark matter.