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The Future of Leap Seconds

Posted by michael on from the stuff-you-thought-you'd-never-think-about dept.

@10u8 writes "Since 1972 precision clocks around the world have ticked using atomic seconds, but earth rotation is slowing down. Leap seconds have been inserted in order to keep noon happening at noon, but they upset some timekeepers. Recent discussions have considered discontinuing leap seconds in UTC, and a colloquium in Torino next month will present results. It is a matter of international significance."

12 of 345 comments (clear)

  1. fp by dkarney · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    And I just bought a new watch! Damn.

  2. 4th post by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic


    TIME BANDITS!!!!

  3. stop reading these stupid articles by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    and go download the new animatrix!

    beep beep boop!

    1. Re:stop reading these stupid articles by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      hehehe!! beep beep boop!! hehe beep beep boop i like that. have fun with the new animatrix buddy

  4. Why is earth's rotation slowing down ? by zymano · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Too many people farting in one direction.

  5. It's not a hude deal. by Znonymous+Coward · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Everyone is always saying "There aren't enough hours in a day". If the Earth is slowing down, we can just add more hours to the day to make up for it. Think of all the lives we will be improving. I mean, I could jack off at least 26 times in a 26 hour day. Yes!

    --

    Karma: The shiznight, mostly because I am the Drizzle.

  6. lololololol omg this is so uber by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    *_s_l_a_s_d_o_t_s_u_c_k_s_*_s_l_a_s_h_d_o_t_s_u_x_
    s_/_____\____REPORT___\___DUPES____/____\_______s_ _
    l|___I___|_____________\__________|______|______l_ _
    a|__LOVE_`.__Call_1-800-SUCKTACO__|_______:_____a_ _
    s`___M____|_____________|________\|_______|_____s_ _
    h_\__I____|_/_______/__\\\___--___\\_______:____h_ _
    d__\__C___\/____--~~__________~--__|_\_____|____d_ _
    o___\__H___\_-~____________________~-_\____|____o_ _
    t____\__A____\_________.--------.______\|__|____t_ _
    s______\__E__\______//_________(_(__C__\___|____s_ _
    u_______\__L.__C____)_________(_(___C___|__/____u_ _
    c_______/\_|___C_____)/__/.__\_(____C___|_/_____c_ _
    k______/_/\|___C_____)|_MODS_|__(___C___/__\____k_ _
    s_____|___(____C_____)\_HERE_/__//__C_/_____\___s_ _
    *_____|____\__C_____\\_________//_(__/_______|__*_ _
    s____|_\____\____)___`----___--'_____________|__s_ _
    l____|__\______________\_______/____________/_|_l_ _
    a___|______R_______/____|_____|__\____________|_a_ _
    s___|___F__E______|____/___/.__\__\____F__S___|_s_ _
    d___|___U__A___/_/____|__SERVER_|__\____U_P____|d_ _
    o___|__C___L__/_/______\__/\___/____|___C__E___|o_ _
    t__|___K__N__/_/________|____|_______|__k__E___|t_ _
    s__|______E___|_________|____|_______|_____C___|s_ _
    u__|______W__|__________|____|_______|_____H___|u_ _
    x__|______S__|__________|____|_______|_________|x_ _
    *_s_l_a_s_d_o_t_s_u_c_k_s_*_s_l_a_s_h_d_o_t_s_u_x_
    Important Stuff: Please try to keep posts on topic. Try to reply to other people's comments instead of starting new threads. Read other people's messages before posting your own to avoid simply duplicating what has already been said. Use a clear subject that describes what your message is about. Offtopic, Inflammatory, Inappropriate, Illegal, or Offensive comments might be moderated. (You can read everything, even moderated posts, by adjusting your threshold on the User Preferences Page) Important Stuff: Please try to keep posts on topic. Try to reply to other people's comments instead of starting new threads. Read other people's messages before posting your own to avoid simply duplicating what has already been said. Use a clear subject that describes what your message is about. Offtopic, Inflammatory, Inappropriate, Illegal, or Offensive comments might be moderated. (You can read everything, even moderated posts, by adjusting your threshold on the User Preferences Page)

  7. Re:Go get the new GNARKILL CD! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    First reply to first post! w00t w00t!

  8. Y2K CONSIPIRACY THEORY by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    If the world was going to end in the year 2000, which timesone would it be in? The year 0 was rougly calculated, clocks 2000 years ago weren't always accurate, who says a day or a year hasn't been lost with the evolution of time? Maybe the year 2000 was really the year 2056 with all the lost time. Maybe 1944. The world almost ended then.

  9. Re:Why? by gschwim · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Bah, why bother, he will be re-elected soon enough.. We might as well get in as many days as we can before the liberals screw there way to the top again...

    Well stated. Perhaps you, oh enlightened one, can explain to our lefty friends how we're still free in the midst of their socialistic ideologies. Are they truly blind?

    At least when I lose my job, I'll have a president bent on creating a job for me, instead of a president bent on servicing his own privates.

    I did not have sex with that (woman | animal | dba | terrorist | .+)
    -Willyboy

  10. Re:Why? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    yes, because he's been so successful creating jobs/boosting the economy in the past...

    It doesn't matter though, no one's going to pay attention to the economy until we run out of enemys...

    next up, North Korea!

  11. test post by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    test, waste a mod point on me, I dare you.