The Leap Second Is No More
THE THING NOBODY EXPLAINED PROPERLY IS THAT TIME AS WE KNOW IT IS CHANGING BECAUSE THE LEAP SECOND IS OFFICIALLY DEAD AND I AM LOSING IT! SO FIRST OFF, SINCE 1972 WE HAVE BEEN ADDING THESE SECONDS TO KEEP ATOMIC CLOCKS SYNCED WITH THE EARTH’S ROTATION BECAUSE THE EARTH IS SLOWING DOWN DUE TO TIDAL FRICTION AND LITERALLY THE OCEANS AND THE ATMOSPHERE, WHICH IS WILD BECAUSE WE HAVE ADDED 32 OF THEM ALREADY! BUT NOW THE INTERNATIONAL BUREAU OF WEIGHTS AND MEASUREMENTS SAID THEY ARE STOPPING THIS IN MAY 2027! APPARENTLY THEY WANTED TO AVOID THE WORLD’S FIRST NEGATIVE LEAP SECOND WHICH SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF A SCI-FI MOVIE, BUT IT IS JUST MATH STUFF THAT WOULD BREAK ALL OUR TECH. ANYWAY I AM GOING TO GO THINK ABOUT MY LIFE.
I CANNOT BE THE ONLY ONE WHO SAW THIS BUT THE PEOPLE WHO CONTROL TIME JUST CANCELLED THE LEAP SECOND! IT HAS BEEN THIS MASSIVE ARGUMENT FOR THIRTY YEARS BETWEEN SMART PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT METROLOGY AND NOW THEY ARE JUST DONE WITH IT! THE PROBLEM IS THAT ATOMIC CLOCKS ARE SUPER PRECISE BUT THE EARTH IS SLOWING DOWN BECAUSE OF THE MOON AND THE CORE AND STUFF, SO WE HAVE HAD TO STICK THESE EXTRA SECONDS IN THERE SINCE 1972 TO KEEP EVERYTHING LINED UP. NOW THE BIPM SAYS THAT IS OVER AS OF MAY 2027 AND NOBODY HAS TO WORRY ABOUT SOME WEIRD NEGATIVE LEAP SECOND BREAKING THE INTERNET OR WHATEVER. IT IS HONESTLY A HUGE RELIEF FOR TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS THAT WE DO NOT EVEN SEE. OK I AM GETTING ANOTHER ROUND, THINK ABOUT IT.
The International Bureau of Weights and Measurements has decided to stop adding leap seconds to Coordinated Universal Time starting in May 2027 to prevent potential issues with technology.
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