Eternal Clock Could Keep Time After Universe Dies

[MKR&*42]

I actually came across this on my phone the other day and found it so goddamn interesting:

Researchers have now proposed an experimental design for a "space-time crystal" that would be able to keep time forever.

"The electric field of the ion trap holds charged particles in place and Coulomb repulsion causes them to spontaneously form a spatial ring crystal," Zhang said. "Under the application of a weak static magnetic field, this ring-shaped ion crystal will begin a rotation that will never stop. The persistent rotation of trapped ions produces temporal order, leading to the formation of a space-time crystal at the lowest quantum energy state."


In other words, the scientists would aim to create a ring of charged particles, with the resulting electromagnetic forces causing the structure to rotate perpetually. At its lowest quantum-energy state, also known as its ground state, the system has no disorder, or entropy, and there is no way for its entropy to increase over time. Thus, the crystal's temporal structure and timekeeping ability would continue even after the universe reached a state of "heat death".

So basically, a clock that will never stop telling the "time" even after the universe reaches "heat death" because of bold.

Actually seems rather interesting... but sort of useless from 1 standpoint

[Inseriousity.]

Pointless having a clock that no-one's around to see

[Chippiewill]

Pointless having a clock that no-one's around to see

And in a philosophical context time itself is meaningless if there's no one around.

What a really dumb idea.

[Matthew]

Pointless, but extremely interesting IMO!

[Samantha]

Nice to know that but I agree that if no one's around no one can wonder or care what time it is.

[GommeInc]

Somewhere in the Universe is a scientist sobbing into his manuals and reports about his scientific discovery, which has gone down so badly with you lot

It is interesting, but it's like saying you've built a car that can withstand the end of the earth. Unless it has uses for the now it's completely irrelevant and useless