Extra second to make 2008 even longer (CBC)

**Drew Wilson** · December 9th, 2008, 10:58 PM

With a brutal economic slowdown, 2008 may feel as if it will never end. Now, the world's timekeepers are making it even longer by adding a leap second to the last day of the year.

Along with the economy, the Earth itself is slowing down, requiring timekeepers to add an extra second to their atomic clocks to keep in sync with Earth's slightly slowing rotation. So, an extra second will be tacked on to Dec. 31 after 6:59:59 p.m. and before 7 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

That extra second will make 2008 — already long with an extra day on Feb. 29 — the longest year since 1992.

The decision to add an extra second was made by an international consortium of timekeepers, whose American arm announced it Monday.

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Wow, what a job. I'd love to get paid to sit around all day talking about... well... the time of the day. Sure would beat the crappy day job I have now!

**mountain_rage** · December 9th, 2008, 11:08 PM

Wonder how much information they all mulled through to come to the conclusion. Time is such a weird property that I imagine the decision could have become quite heated.

**Signa** · December 10th, 2008, 12:27 AM

It's pretty silly to compensate for one second. I know they are trying to keep things accurate for the long-term, but just compensate in the long term then. I don't care if I lose a day somewhere 10,000 years from now, It's not going to make a difference anyway. Whats the worst that would happen? December in the summer? The change would be so slow that the thousands of generations living those times wouldn't ever notice, and the only reason for them to care would be the history of our time having December in winter.

This is all assuming that 2012 isn't the end of the world :D It would be hilarious if it was. Making such a fuss about one second 4 years before the end.

**mountain_rage** · December 10th, 2008, 12:31 AM

The idea is to synchronize out time to the sun cycle since much of our lives revolve around it. There is no reason not to keep everything in sync. It might also have some scientific implications, so rather than working with two time systems, its easier to just standardize everyone.

The crazy think with science is that you never know what seemingly insignificant factors might do to your results. This is made all the more relevant when looking at things like GPS satellites needing to compensate its timing based on its speed of travel.

**thelastfreeman** · December 10th, 2008, 12:39 AM

So what are you guys planning to do with your second? I'm going skinny dipping

**mountain_rage** · December 10th, 2008, 12:44 AM

I'm going to use it responsibly, always did need the extra time to study, I'm a slow learner. Anyway this extra second should change my c's and b's to A's

**Signa** · December 10th, 2008, 07:45 AM

Originally Posted by mountain_rage

The idea is to synchronize out time to the sun cycle since much of our lives revolve around it. There is no reason not to keep everything in sync. It might also have some scientific implications, so rather than working with two time systems, its easier to just standardize everyone.

The crazy think with science is that you never know what seemingly insignificant factors might do to your results. This is made all the more relevant when looking at things like GPS satellites needing to compensate its timing based on its speed of travel.

But isn't any math based on the speed of the rotation of the earth still the same whether we have an extra second? I thought alterations like this is because our time keeping system is flawed, and we need to make compensations to our calendar to keep things the same.

Originally Posted by thelastfreeman

So what are you guys planning to do with your second? I'm going skinny dipping

The totally should make a movie about it. What movie was it? Entrapment? The one where they slow the bank's clock by 15 seconds so they could steal something in that time frame.

**northwest stew** · December 10th, 2008, 08:09 AM

Originally Posted by thelastfreeman

So what are you guys planning to do with your second? I'm going skinny dipping

I'm gonna learn how to play guitar.

**mfgbypooter** · December 10th, 2008, 08:19 AM

I might be able to get an extra fart out this year.

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**YWD67** · December 10th, 2008, 08:23 AM

The moon is the main reason for the Earth's slowing rotation by about 2.2 seconds/100,000years.
This current update is about 1200-2000 yrs earlier then it should be.
The cause for the early up date was the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. The amount of energy released by the quake and movement of water caused the earth to wobble slightly on it's axis, This caused it's rotation to slow by 2.58 microseconds, hence the earlier time update was required.

**Drew Wilson** · December 10th, 2008, 11:19 AM

I thought it was the simple fact that we're constantly launching crap into orbit, gradually slowing the Earth's rotation. :\

**drtoker** · December 10th, 2008, 11:22 AM

Sweet, enough time for one extra toke.

**MoonMan** · December 10th, 2008, 11:44 AM

I think I'm just going to use the extra time to relax.

**thelastfreeman** · December 10th, 2008, 12:55 PM

We have just enough time to watch the 1 Second Film!!!

**mfgbypooter** · December 10th, 2008, 04:14 PM

Originally Posted by DrewWilson

I thought it was the simple fact that we're constantly launching crap into orbit, gradually slowing the Earth's rotation. :\

But wouldn't that be offset by the weight loss of all the crap sent to outer space? If we launch enough shit off the earth it would be getting lighter so it should be spinning faster.

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