Networking atomic clocks via quantum entanglement

Nature : As researchers work to make timekeeping ever more precise, they have been seeking ways to accurately synchronize clocks all over the world. To that end, Eric Kessler of Harvard University and colleagues are using the principle of quantum entanglement to try to create a global network of atomic clocks. Their procedure involves entangling the particles of the network’s central clock; that clock would then communicate the entanglement to a neighboring clock, which in turn would communicate it to the next. Such an entangled network would have several advantages, including the fact that it would improve precision by reducing measurement noise and allowing all the clocks to perform as “a single giant pendulum,” according to Kessler. Such an atomic clock network would be ideal for global financial markets, GPS systems, and space navigation.