Redefining the Second: Japan’s Staggeringly Precise Optical Lattice Clock Promises Wealth of Real-World Applications

Timekeeping is an essential underpinning of daily life and a vital component of our social and technological infrastructure.

The Japanese optical lattice clock, a top candidate for redefinition of the second, marks time with such staggering precision that it can measure small differences in elevation using Einstein’s theory of general relativity. ...