World time to drop the leap second from May 2027

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1. 2h ago

   World Time to Drop Leap Second From May 2027

   Global timekeepers voted to end the practice of adding extra seconds to Coordinated Universal Time starting May 20, 2027, according to updates from Euronews and Scientific American. The decision eliminates leap seconds to prevent risks to computer systems and the possibility of a negative leap second. Instead of maintaining precise synchronization with Earth's rotation through intermittent adjustments, UTC will be allowed to drift by up to 3,600 seconds. Scientific American and the Smithsonian Magazine reported that experts have adopted alternative timekeeping measures following the vote to redefine global time standards.

   Why it matters

   The elimination of the leap second addresses growing concerns from engineers and tech companies regarding how intermittent schedule adjustments disrupt digital infrastructure and financial networks. Earth's rotation is accelerating, which previously threatened to force the introduction of the first-ever negative leap second. Global timekeeping rules have historically relied on these additions to keep atomic time aligned with astronomical time.

   What is confirmed

   • Global timekeepers voted to end the practice of adding extra seconds to UTC starting May 20, 2027.
   • The change was cited as a measure to prevent risks to computer systems and avoid a negative leap second.
   • UTC will be allowed to drift up to 3,600 seconds from Earth's rotation under the new rules.

   Still unconfirmed

   • Timekeepers have introduced a leap hour to replace the canceled leap second.

   What to watch next

   • Official implementation of the May 20, 2027 transition date by international standards bodies.
   • Adoption updates from major telecommunications and computing infrastructure providers regarding the 3,600-second drift limit.
   Sources used for this update (16)

   1. www.nationalgeographic.com — National Geographic
   2. help.naver.com — Futures Flat As Oil Rebounds After Trump's "Energy Ceasefire" Unravels, Memory Stocks Slide | ZeroHedge
   3. seekingalpha.com — Patient Capital Management Q3 2026 Commentary
   4. www.ctvnews.ca — U.S. midterms: Republicans shy away from Trump ahead of vote
   5. slownews.kr — Slow Letter: October 12, 2026.
   6. The Guardian — How an accelerating Earth led experts to adopt the leap hour
   7. Scientific American — Scientists vote to end leap seconds, redefining how the world keeps time
   8. Al Jazeera — Clock ticking for leap second: Why timekeeping could change forever
   9. Smithsonian Magazine — It's Official: Timekeepers Have Gotten Rid of the Leap Second—and Introduced the Leap Hour Instead
   10. The New York Times — The Leap Second Has Been Canceled
   11. Euronews.com — World time to drop the leap second from May 2027
   12. www.euronews.com — World time to drop the leap second from May 2027 - Euronews
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