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HomeNewstrends

Explainer: What’s a leap second and why it is being scrapped

What is a leap second, why have global timekeepers voted to scrap it?

Moneycontrol News | November 23, 2022 / 17:27 IST
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A leap second is a second added to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) in order to keep it synchronized with astronomical times. (Image: News18 Creative)
A leap second is a second added to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) in order to keep it synchronised with astronomical times. (Image: News18 Creative)
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UTC is an atomic time scale, based on the performance of atomic clocks that are more stable than the Earth’s rotational rate. (Image: News18 Creative)
UTC is an atomic time scale, based on the performance of atomic clocks that are more stable than the Earth’s rotational rate. (Image: News18 Creative)
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Leap seconds have always occurred at the end of December or the end of June, on the last second of the UTC day. (Image: News18 Creative)
Leap seconds have always occurred at the end of December or the end of June, on the last second of the UTC day. (Image: News18 Creative)
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The second is a huge amount of time in the technology of the internet. (Image: News18 Creative)
The second is a huge amount of time in the technology of the internet. (Image: News18 Creative)
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“What was before just a way of measuring the flow of time is today essential for transportation, location, defense, finance, space competition,” Felicitas Arias, former Director of the time department of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM). (Image: News18 Creative)
“What was before just a way of measuring the flow of time is today essential for transportation, location, defense, finance, space competition,” said Felicitas Arias, former Director of the time department of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM). (Image: News18 Creative)
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Today technology is highly dependent on computer networks that are synchronized to minuscule fractions of a second. Every additional leap second introduces the risk of confusion. (Image: News18 Creative)
Today technology is highly dependent on computer networks that are synchronised to minuscule fractions of a second. Every additional leap second introduces the risk of confusion. (Image: News18 Creative)

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