Atomic Clock May 2026

GPS satellites carry atomic clocks. Because radio signals travel at the speed of light, even a billionth of a second of error could result in your GPS being off by several miles.

An atomic clock is the world’s most accurate timekeeping device. While a grandfather clock relies on a swinging pendulum and a digital watch relies on a vibrating quartz crystal, an atomic clock uses the ultra-stable vibrations of atoms—usually cesium or strontium—to measure the passage of time. How It Works Atomic Clock

Scientists use these clocks to detect tiny changes in gravity (General Relativity) and to search for dark matter. Precision Limits GPS satellites carry atomic clocks