One of many world’s most costly gadgets sells for greater than £106,000,000 a gram and might be not what you’re anticipating.
Whenever you consider the costliest gadgets on the earth, you in all probability image platinum, gold or diamonds.
However one of many world’s most costly substances is definitely a powder – and only a single gram can price greater than £100,000,000.
The substance is known as Nitrogen Atom-Based mostly Endohedral Fullerenes.
The fabric is actually a cage of carbon atoms with a nitrogen atom inside. However what makes the merchandise so invaluable is what it might allow sooner or later.
The substance has the potential to create very small and extremely correct atomic clocks which scientists consider might even be carried round in your pocket.
Dr Kyriakos Porfyrakis informed the Telegraph: ‘Think about a miniaturised atomic clock that you can carry round in your smartphone.
‘That is the subsequent revolution for cell.’
An atomic clock measures time by monitoring the resonant frequency of atoms.
The primary atomic clock was invented in 1949 by scientists working in Washington D.C. however, at the moment, was hardly any higher than present digital clocks.
However atomic clocks have improved at an astonishing price and in 2024 the very best variations are billions of occasions extra correct than any electrical clock.
They’re presently across the measurement of a room, nonetheless, which makes it troublesome for scientists to sufficiently make use of them.
That’s why Nitrogen Atom-Based mostly Endohedral Fullerenes is so invaluable.
One of many issues which the substance might resolve is the positioning of driverless vehicles, as an illustration.
Present GPS navigation solely presents accuracy to inside just a few yards, which makes it troublesome to efficiently observe and management automobiles. The miniature atomic clock might treatment that, that means driverless vehicles might change into extra dependable, and commonplace, than ever.
The tiny atomic clocks will not be anticipated to come back into fruition anytime quickly, nonetheless.
Dr Porfyrakis mentioned: ‘It’s going to take just a few years to finalise this analysis challenge.
‘If there shall be a closing product, it ought to be miniature sufficient to enter moveable gadgets.’
Nitrogen Atom-Based mostly Endohedral Fullerenes is reportedly earth’s second Most worthy materials solely crushed by antimatter, which NASA estimate is value £41 trillion per gram.
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