Summary:
- Quantum clocks, which use quantum mechanical effects to measure time with extreme precision, are very delicate and require a lot of energy to operate.
- The energy needed to read the state of a quantum clock can actually be greater than the energy needed to keep the clock ticking, which is a surprising finding.
- This discovery has important implications for the practical use of quantum clocks in applications like GPS and telecommunications, where the energy consumption is a critical factor.