Atomic Clock May 2026

The best modern atomic clocks are so stable that they wouldn't lose or gain a single second in —a span of time longer than the age of the universe.

Cesium atoms are sprayed into a vacuum chamber and hit with microwaves.

If the microwave frequency is exactly right, the atoms change states.

You likely interact with atomic clocks every day without realizing it:

GPS satellites carry atomic clocks. Because radio signals travel at the speed of light, even a billionth of a second of error could result in your GPS being off by several miles.

High-speed data transfers and cellular networks require perfectly synchronized "stamps" to ensure packets of data arrive in the correct order.

Stock exchanges use atomic time to log trades down to the microsecond, preventing fraud and ensuring a fair "first-come, first-served" system.