My mechanical watch has less uncertainty than one part in 1017. :o)

It would be more clear if they would write those big numbers like 10e17, not without the caret that should be there: 10^17. In normal text that 10 should be like `normal` and 17 should be higher, but in systems not capable of showing that presentation, use either e or ^ in between.

I'm reading this on the iPad PhysOrg HD app and their other articles have subscripting and superscripting. I think this was just sloppy editing.