Scientists are ready to change the very principle of time measurement

The acceleration of Earth's rotation threatens a global reform of timekeeping. The issue has been placed on the agenda of the 28th General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM), New Atlas reports.

Our planet has begun rotating faster — and this has presented scientists with an unexpected problem. Before 2035, it may be necessary for the first time in history to introduce a negative leap second, meaning not adding but subtracting one second from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). However, the consequences of such a step alarm experts: removing a second could trigger digital chaos on a planetary scale — from disruptions in telecommunications and power grids to failures in satellite navigation systems.

To prevent a potential technological catastrophe, world experts are preparing a radical solution — replacing the leap second with a "leap hour." If the initiative is supported by vote, the accumulation of such an hour would stretch over an entire millennium. This would effectively free humanity from frequent and risky time adjustments.