TechWorld's priciest substance promises tech revolution

World's priciest substance promises tech revolution

The most expensive substance in the world may help in creating miniature atomic clocks.
The most expensive substance in the world may help in creating miniature atomic clocks.
Images source: © Pixabay

12:47 PM EDT, October 15, 2024

Where does such an astronomical value come from? It stems mainly from its unique properties and enormous technological potential. This substance can be used for, among other things, the creation of miniature atomic clocks.

Oxford University has recognized a substance as the most expensive material on Earth, although most people have probably never heard of it. It is called Nitrogen Atom-Based Endohedral Fullerene, and its price is an astronomical 106 million pounds, which amounts to over $662 million—significantly more than the average person will earn in their lifetime.

According to the LadBible portal, purchasing just one gram of this substance would require an average Brit to work for 65 years. And that's assuming that during all this time, they would not spend a penny on food, drink, or other basic needs – they'd have to live for free!

What exactly is this unique powder? Its extraordinary value stems from potential applications in technology. Nitrogen Atom-Based Endohedral Fullerene is a material that could revolutionize the development of highly precise yet miniature atomic clocks.

Traditional atomic clocks are huge, often the size of an entire room, but this new material can help create compact versions. Atomic clocks play an important role in navigation, especially in GPS systems, which rely on incredibly accurate time measurement. If they could be miniaturized, they could be integrated into everyday devices, like smartphones, providing unprecedented precision in location determination.

The most expensive substance in the world. where can it be used?

According to "LadBible," the scientists from Oxford University who developed this material believe that endohedral fullerenes could find applications in many technological fields, including future mobile devices.

An interesting fact is the name of the material itself. "Fullerene" refers to its specific structure, which resembles a "cage" of carbon atoms with a nitrogen atom enclosed in the center. The name is inspired by the designs of architect Richard Buckminster Fuller, known for building geodesic domes based on interlocking triangles.

According to the British portal ladbible.com, the application of this material could open up new possibilities, including more precise navigation and unprecedented space exploration.