Does today feel longer than normal? If you answer yes then you're quite correct. The International Earth Rotation and Reference System
Service from their headquarters in Paris are
adding a 'leap second' to the clock at midnight universal time Saturday,
June 30, going into July 1. Universal time will be 11:59:59 and then
11:59:60. In London that will be at just before 1am Sunday.
A second can be added or removed as needed every six months, but it typically happens only every 1.5 years.
The adjustment is needed now because the Earth's rottaion is slowing down a very very small amount die to the tidal pull of the moon.
The last such 'leap second' was at the end of December 2008. In fact only 24 extra seconds have been introduced since the process started in 1972.
A second can be added or removed as needed every six months, but it typically happens only every 1.5 years.
The adjustment is needed now because the Earth's rottaion is slowing down a very very small amount die to the tidal pull of the moon.
The last such 'leap second' was at the end of December 2008. In fact only 24 extra seconds have been introduced since the process started in 1972.
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