Timekeepers Vote to End the Leap Second by Next May

Timekeeping has changed forever after a decision by an intergovernmental organization that determines measurement standards to end what is known as the leap second. Here is a look at the leap second and why it is going away.

International Timekeepers Vote to End Leap Second

The 69 member states of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) voted last week on a resolution that has effectively ended the leap second. The vote happened in Versailles, France, with the resolution set to take effect in May of 2027. The majority of the nations voted for the elimination. Russia voted against the proposal, and Belarus abstained.

The leap second is a tiny link between the rotation of the Earth and the world's time standard. The minuscule measurement of time is used for various infrastructure purposes, such as in power grids and telecommunications systems. The leap second has been inserted into global clocks only 27 times since 1972.