They measured how long it takes for a photon to cross a hydrogen molecule - around 247 zeptoseconds - making this measurement the shortest time span E

Zeptosecond - the smallest time unit ever measured

submited by

Style Pass

2024-10-07 05:30:05

They measured how long it takes for a photon to cross a hydrogen molecule - around 247 zeptoseconds - making this measurement the shortest time span EVER to have been successfully recorded.

And how do you figure out Planck time?! Divide the minuscule Planck length by the speed of light (which is pretty big) and you get a really tiny unit of time - the Planck time!

The team managed to get a hydrogen molecule to absorb a photon (a particle of light) which then launched the escape of an electron (a negatively-charged particle) from it.

This created a wave pattern, which scientists were able to measure using a Cold Target Recoil Ion Momentum Spectroscopy (or COLTRIMS for short) microscope.