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TECHNOLOGY
Electronics
Most Precise Clocks
This list features the most precise clocks in the world based on how many years it takes to lose/gain one second.
RANK | CLOCK | PRECISION (Loss/gain of 1 sec) | YEAR |
1 | Strontium-based Timepiece | Every 40 billion years | 2024 |
2 | Aluminum Ion Clock | Every 33 billion years | 2019 |
3 | Optical Lattice Clock | Every 15 billion years | 2021 |
4 | Quantum Clock | Every 10 billion years | 2020 |
5 | Sapphire Oscillator | Every 5 billion years | 2014 |
6 | Optical Clock | Every 1 billion years | 2016 |
7 | NIST-F1 Atomic Clock | Every 15 million years | 2005 |
8 | Hydrogen Masers | Every 3 million years | 2007 |
9 | Cesium Atomic Clock | Every 1.5 million years | 1967 |
10 | Fountain Atomic Clock | Every 1 million years | 2005 |
References
Access Science. (n.d.) Atomic clocks. Available at: https://www.accessscience.com/content/article/a060100 [Accessed 1 December 2025].
CNET. (2020) Scientists create a clock so accurate it won't lose time for 40 million years. Available at: https://www.cnet.com/science/scientists-create-a-clock-so-accurate-it-wont-lose-time-for-40-million-years/ [Accessed 1 December 2025].
Galleon. (n.d.) Atomic clocks. Available at: https://www.galleon.eu.com/atomic-clocks.html [Accessed 1 December 2025].
Laser Focus World. (2018) All-optical atomic clock may be world’s most precise. Available at: https://www.laserfocusworld.com/test-measurement/research/article/16556429/all-optical-atomic-clock-may-be-worlds-most-precise [Accessed 1 December 2025].
Nature. (2013) An optical lattice clock. Available at: https://www.nature.com/articles/nature.2013.13363 [Accessed 1 December 2025].
New Scientist. (2024) Most accurate clock ever can tick for 40 billion years without error. Available at: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2423804-most-accurate-clock-ever-can-tick-for-40-billion-years-without-error/ [Accessed 1 December 2025].
NIST. (2019) NIST's quantum logic clock returns to top performance. Available at: https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2019/07/nists-quantum-logic-clock-returns-top-performance [Accessed 1 December 2025].
The Guardian. (2015) Record-breaking clock invented which only loses a second in 15 billion years. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/apr/22/record-breaking-clock-invented-which-only-loses-a-second-in-15-billion-years [Accessed 1 December 2025].
The Verge. (2015) Most accurate atomic clock optical lattice strontium. Available at: https://www.theverge.com/2015/4/22/8466681/most-accurate-atomic-clock-optical-lattice-strontium [Accessed 1 December 2025].
UK Research and Innovation. (n.d.) Atomic fountain clock aims to solve the mysteries of antimatter. Available at: https://www.ukri.org/news/atomic-fountain-clock-aims-to-solve-the-mysteries-of-antimatter/ [Accessed 1 December 2025].
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