Laser excites thorium nuclei for precise measurement

Researchers in Austria and Germany have successfully used lasers to excite thorium-299 nuclei, achieving a precise measurement of the thorium transition energy gap at 8.355743 ± 0.000003 electron volts. This breakthrough could lead to the development of a more stable and precise nuclear clock with various applications in time and gravity measurements. The study was published in Physical Review Letters after decades of research efforts.