The leap second’s time is up: world votes to stop pausing clocks (nature.com)

Article summary

The world's foremost metrology body has decided to stop adding 'leap seconds' to official clocks from 2035, in order to keep them in sync with Earth's rotation. This decision was made by representatives from governments worldwide at the General Conference on Weights and Measures. The practice of adding leap seconds has been in place to account for the Earth's slightly irregular rotation. The change aims to simplify timekeeping and reduce the need for frequent adjustments.

Main themes

• timekeeping
• leap seconds
• Earth's rotation
• metrology
• global coordination
• technical decision-making

What commenters say

• The title of the article is misleading as it implies a global vote, when in fact it was a decision made by representatives from governments worldwide.
• The decision to stop adding leap seconds is a technical matter that should be left to experts, rather than being decided by a popular vote.
• The removal of leap seconds will eventually lead to a divergence between atomic time and Earth's rotation, which may require future adjustments.
• Some argue that the drift between atomic time and Earth's rotation can be handled through adjustments to timezone definitions, while others believe it will become a huge coordination problem.
• One possible solution to the problem of Earth's rotation slowing down is to introduce a 'leap hour' every few thousand years, rather than trying to maintain a perfect sync with atomic time.
• Others propose simply allowing the divergence between atomic time and Earth's rotation to grow, and then correcting it through a one-time adjustment every few centuries.
• The use of language that implies the legitimacy of organizations, such as saying 'the world votes', can be seen as a form of doublespeak that obscures the true nature of decision-making processes.