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The time we see on our phones and clocks is based on the Earth’s rotation. But that rotation speed varies, so if it speeds up or slows down, our time measurements get thrown off. To solve this problem, timekeeping scientists have been deploying leap seconds to keep our clocks aligned with our planet. That is, until last week. After decades of debate, a global committee of timekeepers voted to kill the leap second.
Host Flora Lichtman speaks to journalist Emma Gometz, who reported on the change for Scientific American, and physicist Judah Levine, to understand why this decision is a big deal and what exactly it means for us.
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Segment Guests
Emma Lee Gometz
Emma Gometz is a science journalist and artist based in Queens, New York. They are a newsletter editor for Scientific American, where they write the magazine’s pop culture newsletter, “Cultured.” Emma’s words and voice can be found in Popular Science, Atlas Obscura, Scientific American, The Open Notebook, Teen Vogue, WNYC’s Science Friday, and more.
Judah Levine
Dr. Judah Levine is a faculty member in the Department of Physics and a fellow of JILA at the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Segment Transcript
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Meet the Producers and Host
About Flora Lichtman
Flora Lichtman is a host of Science Friday. In a previous life, she lived on a research ship where apertivi were served on the top deck, hoisted there via pulley by the ship’s chef.
About Imaan Moin
Imaan Moin is an associate producer for Science Friday. She particularly enjoys super-small science stories (especially about microbes and biomolecules), but she’s always up for talking about Texas and how everything is bigger there.