Scientists are considering eliminating one second from clocks for the first time ever as our planet's rotation accelerates at an unprecedented rate, prompting them to consider the possibility of altering timekeeping systems as we know them today.
Since record-keeping was introduced, Earth has been slowly speeding up, leading to shorter days that deviate from the standard 24-hour cycle and necessitating periodic adjustments of various timekeeping systems to stay in sync with its orbit. Since 1972, 27 leap seconds have been added to global clocks to stay synchronized with its spin.
However, Earth's current rate of rotation indicates that we may soon need to subtract an entire second from our timekeeping systems - instead of watching time tick down from 23:59:58 to midnight like is currently done, this change would see it jump directly from one second before midnight until it reaches midnight.
Recent discoveries suggest that global warming may have slightly slowed Earth's spin rate, postponing its acceleration for another three years and postponing any need for a negative leap second. Duncan Agnew of Scripps Institution of Oceanography describes this phenomenon as both unexpected and significant, emphasizing its uniqueness within our current timekeeping predicament.
Agnew describes how global warming alters Earth's rotation by shifting polar ice around, similar to when a skater adjusts their arm position while spinning. As more water disperses through oceans and melts off landmasses, the earth's rotation decreases, offsetting any recent increase in spin speed.
Current timekeeping software does not support subtracting time during leap-second adjustments; therefore, this presents scientists and engineers with an unprecedented challenge of devising methods to deal with this challenging situation.
Patrizia Tavella from the Time Department at the International Bureau of Weights and Measures emphasizes the need for collaboration among experts to assess potential impacts and risks related to negative leap seconds, which have yet to be implemented and thus their effects remain largely uncharted.
As a response to past challenges with leap second additions, certain technology companies have proposed alternative approaches such as gradually adding fractions of seconds each day to maintain time accuracy without needing periodic leap second adjustments. These proposals aim to keep clocks accurate without the need for frequent leap-second adjustments.
As Earth's rotation continues to change, so too do our chances of "losing a second." Such efforts to ensure accurate timekeeping remain essential in an ever-evolving globalized society.