In a historic scientific achievement, researchers at UCLA have successfully excited the nucleus of a thorium atom using laser light—a goal that has eluded scientists for nearly 50 years. By embedding thorium atoms in a crystal and bombarding them with lasers, the team enabled the nucleus to absorb and emit photons, mirroring electron behavior.
This breakthrough lays the groundwork for ultra-precise nuclear clocks, which could surpass current atomic clocks in accuracy. These clocks have the potential to revolutionize fields such as deep space navigation and communication. Additionally, they offer a powerful tool for testing whether fundamental constants of nature are truly fixed, unlocking new insights into the fabric of the universe.
Professor Eric Hudson, who led the research, highlighted the discovery's importance, predicting no experiment for the next century will match its potential to test these constants. This success marks a victory for humanity, pushing the boundaries of precision science and technological advancement.
Source. ScienceDaily. "Nuclear spectroscopy breakthrough could rewrite the fundamental constants of nature" "https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240702135550.htm" July 2, 2024.
Edited by Yash Pincha.
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