Scientists are considering a major shift in how time is measured by potentially ending the practice of adding leap seconds to align atomic clocks with Earth’s gradually slowing rotation. The adjustment, which has been used to compensate for irregularities in the planet’s spin, could face a vote in the coming years to either abolish it or reform the system entirely. If approved, the change would mark the first major revision to global timekeeping standards in decades, affecting navigation, astronomy, and digital infrastructure worldwide. The decision hinges on balancing precision in modern technology with the natural variability of Earth’s rotation.
Timekeepers add a leap second occasionally to keep our clocks and the Earth's rotation in tune. That could now change.
