leap second

The International Bureau of Weights and Measures has decided to stop adding leap seconds to Coordinated Universal Time, ending a practice used since 1972 to keep atomic clocks aligned with Earth's irregular rotation. The change means official time will gradually drift from solar time, a move welcomed by tech and telecom firms that have long struggled with the disruptions leap seconds cause to computer systems.

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.

Germans are searching for information about changing the clocks, a twice-yearly routine that remains in place despite long-running EU discussions about scrapping it. At the same time, n-tv reports that the leap second is set to be abolished next year, ending the practice of occasionally adjusting global time by one second. Together the news has people talking about how time is measured and whether seasonal clock changes still make sense.

Sportsbooks have released early odds for the 2026-27 NBA Most Improved Player award, with Spurs rookie guard Dylan Harper installed as the favorite. Brandon Miller of the Hornets and Celtics guard Payton Pritchard are also listed among the top contenders. The early markets reflect expectations that Harper will make a major second-year leap, while Miller and Pritchard are seen as players poised for larger roles.

The world's timekeepers have voted to abolish the leap second, ending the practice of occasionally adding a second to UTC to keep atomic clocks aligned with Earth's rotation. A major reason cited is the difficulty of pushing timing updates to billions of connected devices, which risks a Y2K-style failure if systems mishandle an inserted second.