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Published online 31 August 2004 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news040830-1

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Tiny timepiece is ultra-accurate

Portable atomic clock is the size of a grain of rice.

Ultra-accurate timekeeping could soon be commonplace, now that physicists have built the workings of an atomic clock just a couple of millimetres across. The clock, which could run off an AA battery, could enhance digital devices such as mobile phones and global positioning system (GPS) units.

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