ClimateJuly 16, 2026
picosecond
/ˈpɪkoʊˌsɛkənd/
Definition
A unit of time equal to one trillionth of a second (10⁻¹² seconds).
Etymology
The word is a combination of the prefix 'pico-' (derived from the Spanish 'pico', meaning 'beak' or 'a little bit') and 'second'. It was adopted as an SI unit prefix to denote the factor of 10⁻¹².
In the news
The article uses the term to describe the extreme speed at which a new nano-photonic AI chip prototype performs calculations. This highlights the chip's advanced computing efficiency compared to traditional electronic hardware.
Australia to legally require large-scale data centers to secure new clean energy supplies
Read the full article ↗pv magazine Global