leap second

The International Bureau of Weights and Measures has adopted a resolution to stop adding leap seconds to Coordinated Universal Time, ending a decades-old practice of occasionally inserting an extra second to keep atomic time aligned with Earth's rotation. The decision follows years of debate among metrologists, tech companies and standards bodies, who have argued that irregular one-second adjustments cause failures in computing and navigation systems. A replacement mechanism for reconciling time with the slowing of Earth's rotation remains under discussion.

Metrologists and scientists have voted to abolish the leap second, the occasional one-second adjustment added to Coordinated Universal Time since 1972 to keep clocks aligned with Earth's rotation. The change, expected by 2035, means atomic time and astronomical time will be allowed to drift apart. The decision follows growing problems for computing systems and telecommunications networks that struggle with irregular time insertions.

Metrologists are preparing to vote on abolishing the leap second, the occasional one-second adjustment added to Coordinated Universal Time since 1972 to keep clocks aligned with Earth's slowing rotation. The change would end a practice long criticised by tech companies and engineers, who say irregular adjustments cause glitches in software and satellite systems.

An international timekeeping body meeting in France is expected to abolish the leap second, ending a practice used for over 50 years to keep atomic clocks aligned with Earth's rotation. Officials plan to let clocks gradually drift out of sync with the planet, a change driven by the difficulty and disruption of inserting leap seconds into global systems. Scientists and technologists are debating what the long-term divergence will mean.