The world’s most accurate clock, which resembles a squat, wide refrigerator, is now available for purchase in Japan, priced at $3.3 million.
Manufactured by Kyoto-based Shimadzu Corp., the “Aether clock OC 020” is so precise that it would take 10 billion years to deviate by just one second.
This strontium optical lattice clock is 100 times more accurate than cesium atomic clocks, which currently serve as the standard for measuring a second.
Standing about one meter tall and with a volume of around 250 liters, this clock is compact for its type and suitable for use in research fieldwork.
Shimadzu plans to sell 10 units over the next three years, aiming to attract clients involved in scientific research, including studies of tectonic activity.
Optical lattice clocks have previously been used in Tokyo’s Skytree to test the general theory of relativity, which posits that time passes more slowly in areas with stronger gravitational fields.
