Leap Second
From the Smithsonian:
Earth’s rotation is the traditional form of timekeeping. It is what defines a day. However, while we call a day 86,400 seconds, it is really 86,400.02 seconds. All those .02 seconds add up over time. In addition, the earth’s rotation is not constant (it has been slightly slowing, and 900 million years ago a day was only 18 of our hours). Time as we know it changes.
What does it mean… Get ready for leap year! I’m not talking about adding a day in February here, but just a second, at the end of this month. On December 31, at 23:59:59 UTC, a leap second will be added to the official timekeeping clocks of the world.
wow
amynee
December 10, 2008 at 10:27 pm
Time blows my mind. It never ceases to amaze me. It is so fundamental and yet so illusive. Here is an episode of Radio Lab that deals with time, http://www.wnyc.org/shows/radiolab/episodes/2007/07/15 If you’ve never listened to Radio Lab before, I highly recommend it.
Also, Daniel Boorstin wrote a book called “The Discoverers”. The work is divided into four books, the first book being dedicated to the history of time. It’s an enjoyable read, worth checking out.
since78
December 12, 2008 at 3:56 pm