Time is a-changin’: say goodbye to the leap second
The International Bureau of Weights and Measures has voted to scrap the leap second by May 2026 to prevent potential infrastructure failures. This change addresses concerns that negative leap seconds could disrupt global digital systems.
Why it matters
Global timekeeping is critical for the stability of internet infrastructure, financial markets, and navigation systems.
An important change will soon be made to global timekeeping that aims to prevent potential infrastructure failures akin to the Y2K bug scare. On Thursday, the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) voted to scrap the leap second, an ad hoc time adjustment that’s occasionally added so tracked time standards mirror the Earth’s real (and inconsistent) rotation.
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