Do You Know About the Leap <em>Second</em>?
It's what's keeps us tethered to the quaint notion that "a day" is equal to one rotation of the Earth.
by Alexis C. Madrigal
Feb 28, 2014
2 minutes
The mechanics of the leap year are well known: We add a day to February every four years to maintain the synchronization of our earthly calendar with the celestial reality of the Earth's orbit.
Weeelllll, it turns out that a similar phenomenon plays out on a much smaller time scale. Along with the leap year, there is the leap .
You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.
Start your free 30 days