Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Earth Travel On Time, Again

Posted by timothy on from the funny-I-hadn't-noticed dept.

burgburgburg writes "The NY Times has an interesting article about a rather puzzling phenomena: for the fifth year in a row, the Earth's travel through space is right on time. The rate that the Earth travels through space has slowed ever so slightly for millenia. To compensate for this, since 1972, scientists have added a "leap second" at the end of each year. The problem: Since 1999, the Earth has been on time. The recognition of a need for a leap second was an unintended consequence of the invention of the atomic clock. Suggested reasons for the unexpected punctuality: the tides, weather and changes in the Earth's core."

6 of 361 comments (clear)

  1. Well... by j0nkatz · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Man, I'm glad I bought that Swiss Army watch from Thinkgeek. It's never wrong.

    --
    Don't mod me, bro'!!!!
  2. I WANT TO PUT MY PEE PEE IN YOUR POO POO HOLE by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Browse SourceForge - Shop ThinkGeek - freshmeat Downloads - Newsletters - Personals (ha!) All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective owners. Comments are owned by the Poster. The Rest (C) 1997-2003 OSDN Browse SourceForge - Shop ThinkGeek - freshmeat Downloads - Newsletters - Personals (ha!) All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective owners. Comments are owned by the Poster. The Rest (C) 1997-2003 OSDN Browse SourceForge - Shop ThinkGeek - freshmeat Downloads - Newsletters - Personals (ha!) All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective owners. Comments are owned by the Poster. The Rest (C) 1997-2003 OSDN Browse SourceForge - Shop ThinkGeek - freshmeat Downloads - Newsletters - Personals (ha!) All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective owners. Comments are owned by the Poster. The Rest (C) 1997-2003 OSDN

    I WANT TO PUT MY PEE PEE IN YOUR POO POO HOLE

    I WANT TO PUT MY PEE PEE IN YOUR POO POO HOLE

  3. Re:Blame fat people by pancho123 · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    well doh...i shuld have RTFA.

  4. GO AWAY VLAD by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    No one likes you anymore.

  5. The Jews won't give up their monopoly by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    on world conspiracy. Only one worldwide conspiracy can exist during a given time. And the Jews are pretty firm at the moment. Look at the Homeland Gestapo's News sometimes...

  6. Totally Batsh1t Instane off topic BUT... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Agnostic, Atheist, etc...

    One with any amount of rational and true logic cannot believe intelligent design does not exist...

    Well, tomorrow the earth could fall into the sun but who even designed the platypus will forever receive my worship (and any really good code)!!!