ScienceTime is a-changin’: The leap second is being retired early

The International Bureau of Weights and Measures voted to scrap leap seconds, bringing forward a plan originally set for 2035 to May 20 next year. The change is intended to avert risks to critical infrastructure if shifts in Earth’s rotation require timekeepers to subtract time. “Leap hours” will replace them, with a full hour not expected to be added for about 3,000 years.

leap secondglobal timekeepingInternational Bureau of Weights and Measurestech infrastructure

TThe Verge★★★☆☆2026-10-16 10:00Original