You think you have correctly set the clock in your living room? Even if the minutes match those of your kitchen clock, you will never be as precise as the scientists at the Centre for Quantum Technologies (CQT) at the National University of Singapore.
In a study published on September 23, 2026, the researchers present a clock so precise that it would only lose one second after more than 260 billion years. Rest assured, you do not need a science degree to understand the principle behind an atomic clock.
Researchers use an atom capable of transitioning from one energy level to another when it receives an electromagnetic wave at the right frequency. By precisely identifying this frequency, they have an extremely stable reference for measuring time. "An atomic clock is a device that takes advantage of the extreme stability of atoms", explains Sébastien Bize, research director at the CNRS (Centre national de la recherche scientifique) and deputy director of the Temps‑Espace laboratory, interviewed by our editorial team.
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