▁or ▁approximately ▁ 3 . 1 5 6 ▁seconds . ▁Tom ▁D uff ▁is ▁c ited ▁as ▁saying ▁that , ▁to ▁within ▁half ▁a ▁percent , ▁a ▁nan oc ent ury ▁is ▁ π ▁seconds . ▁ ▁New ▁York ▁Second ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁Second ▁(" the ▁short est ▁unit ▁of ▁time ▁in ▁the ▁mult iverse ") ▁is ▁defined ▁as ▁the ▁period ▁of ▁time ▁between ▁the ▁traffic ▁lights ▁turning ▁green ▁and ▁the ▁cab ▁behind ▁one ▁hon king . ▁The ▁id iom atic ▁expression ▁" in ▁a ▁New ▁York ▁minute ", ▁used ▁in ▁various ▁context s ▁to ▁mean ▁an ▁instant ▁or ▁a ▁very ▁short ▁time , ▁is ▁of ▁similar ▁origin , ▁referring ▁to ▁the ▁bus yn ess ▁of ▁New ▁York ▁and ▁imp atience ▁of ▁its ▁residents . ▁ ▁Sh ake ▁In ▁nuclear ▁physics , ▁a ▁sh ake ▁is ▁ 1 0 ▁nan ose cond s , ▁the ▁approximate ▁time ▁for ▁a ▁generation ▁within ▁a ▁nuclear ▁chain ▁reaction . ▁ ▁The ▁term ▁comes ▁from ▁the ▁expression ▁" two ▁sh akes ▁of ▁a ▁l amb ' s ▁tail ", ▁meaning ▁quickly . ▁ ▁T atum ▁A ▁t atum ▁is ▁the ▁" low est ▁regular ▁pul se ▁train ▁that ▁a ▁listener ▁intuit ively ▁inf ers ▁from ▁the ▁timing ▁of ▁perce ived ▁musical ▁events ." ▁It ▁is ▁named ▁after ▁the ▁legend ary ▁jazz ▁pian ist ▁Art ▁T atum . ▁ ▁Radio activity ▁Ban ana ▁equivalent ▁do se , ▁the ▁amount ▁of ▁radiation ▁expos ure ▁gained ▁from ▁e ating ▁an ▁average ▁ban ana . ▁ ▁Non - con vent ional