A leap second will be added on December 31, 1995, to keep atomic clocks in sync with the Earth’s rotation. This adjustment, known as a leap second, is necessary because the Earth’s rotation is not perfectly consistent—it can vary by a few thousandths of a second each day. To compensate, an extra second is added to the clock time, making the last minute of the year 61 seconds long. This is the 20th leap second added since the practice began, as decided by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures in Paris.
While most people won’t notice the change, precise systems like television, telephone networks, navigation systems, and power grids rely on exact timekeeping and will need to account for the leap second. The adjustment will occur at 23:59:60 UTC on December 31, which is just before 7 p.m. EST on New Year’s Eve. For the general public, the leap second may only mean a slightly delayed New Year’s celebration.
Keywords: atomic clocks, leap second, time synchronization
