Physicists unveil the most accurate atomic clock ever ‪—‬ and it could literally redefine the second

Written and edited by the WorldPing NewsdeskPublished Updated Original reporting: Live Science
Physicists unveil the most accurate atomic clock ever ‪—‬ and it could literally redefine the secondWorldPing
Image via Live Science.

What happened

Physicists have used radioactive lutetium to create what they say is the most accurate atomic clock ever, keeping time perfectly up to 19 decimal places.

Key facts

  • Physicists have used radioactive lutetium to create what they say is the most accurate atomic clock ever, keeping time perfectly up to 19 decimal places.
  • Reported by Live Science and published Thu, 01 Oct 2026 17:11:19 UTC.

Why it matters

Research findings and mission results set the evidence base that policy, funding and later discoveries build on.

What to watch next

  • Peer review status and replication of the findings
  • Mission milestones and next scheduled attempt
  • Funding or policy decisions that follow

Coverage timeline

When each newsroom published on this story, oldest first — all times UTC.

  1. Physicists unveil the most accurate atomic clock ever ‪—‬ and it could literally redefine the second

  2. Physicists who uncovered the first particle accelerator were honored with a Nobel Prize 75 years ago

  3. Could El Niño mean there are no Atlantic hurricanes this year?

Sources

The original report was published by Live Science. WorldPing does not claim that reporting — this page summarises and contextualises it.

Read the full report at Live Science

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