The World's Most Accurate Clock

Here is an interesting article on a new development in the world of nanotechnology:

A new atomic clock has been developed that is more than twice as accurate as the clocks that are currently used to regulate international time zones and satellite systems. Like other atomic clocks made previously to this one, it keeps track of time based on the vibration of atoms. But what makes this clock more consistent in producing a pendulum effect of atoms is the laser beam it uses to freeze atoms at approximately -273 degrees celsius (absolute zero). This is the temperature at which all matter stops resonating. By using this laser beam, researchers can make electrons swing back and forth between the orbits they occupy around the nucleus. This is what forms the pendulum in the atomic clock. And even though this clock only increases accuracy by a small fraction of a second, it has a great potential in areas focused on the determination of great distances, such as measuring the distance to distant galaxies in space.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/science/sciencenews/5164808/Worlds-most-accurate-clock-unveiled.html