BIPM to abolish leap seconds starting May 2027

leap second Coordinated Universal Time atomic time timekeeping BIPM

The General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM) has voted to abolish the practice of adding leap seconds to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The decision, reached during a meeting in Versailles, France, is set to take effect on May 20, 2027.

Since 1972, 27 leap seconds have been added to keep atomic time in sync with the Earth's rotation. However, these adjustments have caused technical disruptions in telecommunications, electricity grids, and navigation systems. To prevent potential issues from a first-ever negative leap second, officials have opted to allow a larger drift between atomic and astronomical time.

Under the new regulation, the difference between UTC and astronomical time (UT1) will be permitted to reach up to one hour before a correction is required. This new concept, sometimes referred to as a leap hour, aims to ensure a continuous, uninterrupted time scale for digital infrastructure and computer networks for centuries to come.

Entities

Coordinated Universal Time · Earth · General Conference on Weights and Measures · International Bureau of Weights and Measures · LinkedIn · NIST · Noel Dimarcq · Reddit · Versailles

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 3 SOURCES] The change will not directly affect the time displayed on smartphones, computers, or watches for daily life. www.sondakika.com · www.kocatepegazetesi.com · www.haberts.com
[● 8 SOURCES] Leap seconds have previously caused system crashes on platforms like Reddit and LinkedIn. www.kocatepegazetesi.com · haber.mynet.com · www.sondakika.com · radiotitograd.me · www.haberts.com · +3 more
[● 4 SOURCES] A decision made at a conference in Versailles allows the gap between atomic and astronomical time to reach one hour before intervention. www.kocatepegazetesi.com · haber.mynet.com · www.sondakika.com · www.haberts.com
[● 6 SOURCES] If approved, the new regulation would take effect in May 2027. www.kocatepegazetesi.com · www.haberts.com · www.medyafaresi.com · haber.mynet.com · www.odatv.com · +1 more
[● 4 SOURCES] Sixty-nine countries are expected to vote on the removal of the leap second application. www.kocatepegazetesi.com · www.haberts.com · www.medyafaresi.com · haber.mynet.com
[● 6 SOURCES] The difference between atomic time and astronomical time should not exceed one hour. www.kocatepegazetesi.com · www.haberts.com · haber.mynet.com · www.kurierverlag.de · www.ingenieur.de · +1 more
[● 7 SOURCES] The regulation aims to make official timekeeping independent of Earth's rotation. www.kocatepegazetesi.com · haber.mynet.com · www.sondakika.com · radiotitograd.me · www.haberts.com · +2 more
[● 9 SOURCES] Leap seconds have caused flight delays and disruptions in global communication networks. www.kocatepegazetesi.com · haber.mynet.com · www.sondakika.com · www.haberts.com · www.spacemoney.com.br · +4 more
[● 3 SOURCES] The decision was taken during a meeting organized by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) in Versailles, France. jornal24horas.com.br · www.spacemoney.com.br · www.bug.hr
[● 9 SOURCES] The decision to end leap seconds was made during a meeting organized by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) in Versailles, France. radiotitograd.me · www.kocatepegazetesi.com · jornal24horas.com.br · www.spacemoney.com.br · www.bug.hr · +4 more
[● 12 SOURCES] The difference between atomic time and astronomical time will be allowed to reach up to one hour before intervention is required. www.kocatepegazetesi.com · www.haberts.com · www.bug.hr · www.sondakika.com · newsflash24.de · +6 more
[● 16 SOURCES] If approved, the new regulation will take effect in May 2027. www.kocatepegazetesi.com · www.haberts.com · www.medyafaresi.com · haber.mynet.com · www.sondakika.com · +11 more