NationStates Jolt Archive


US scientists are trying to steal time...

Cabra West
09-11-2005, 11:44
Timekeeping proposal sparks row

Greenwich Mean Time would become an "irrelevance" if proposals to redefine how time is measured are accepted, an historian at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, UK, has warned.

US scientists want to change the current system, which keeps clocks in synch with solar time by adding a leap second every 18 months or so.

The proposals will be discussed at a meeting in Geneva on Wednesday.

UK scientists believe the meridian's role in timekeeping is under threat.

The Prime Meridian, which runs through Greenwich, became the basis for the world's time keeping in 1884 after the first Astronomer Royal, John Flamstead, calculated that the Earth rotated on its axis once every 24 hours. ...

The whole story can be found here (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4420084.stm)
I have to say I find it very odd that no explanation is given as to why they would suggest a thing like that..
Celestial Kingdom
09-11-2005, 12:00
Hmmm...even after long consideration I can find no sense in it all...except for a tendency to value personal glory over science in some of our transoceanic partners.

No sense at all...no :confused:
Lacadaemon
09-11-2005, 12:00
Goddamn BBC. The first Astronomer Royal, John Flamstead calculated the period of earths rotation in 1684 not 1884. http://www.derbyshireuk.net/flamstead.html

One would think that would be patently obvious to even the most simple-minded englishman. So much for the highly touted englilsh school system.
Lacadaemon
09-11-2005, 12:02
Goddamn BBC. The first Astronomer Royal, John Flamstead calculated the period of earths rotation in 1684 not 1884. http://www.derbyshireuk.net/flamstead.html

One would think that would be patently obvious to even the most simple-minded englishman. So much for the highly touted englilsh school system.

Edit: I've just noticed a similar error in the link I posted. That however, is a typo I am sure.
Eutrusca
09-11-2005, 12:03
The whole story can be found here (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4420084.stm)
I have to say I find it very odd that no explanation is given as to why they would suggest a thing like that..
Ah, that beauty of irrelevant science! It almost makes one weep with from the sheer lovliness of it! :D
Cabra West
09-11-2005, 12:09
I just don't get it. There is no reason whatsoever for this suggestion/demand. At least none that I can see... do any of you have an idea why such a change would be desirable?
LazyHippies
09-11-2005, 12:10
They want to abolish leap seconds, which are problematic for digital time keeping devices, GPS systems, etc. and not very useful for most people (there have only been only 21 leap seconds since 1972). However, they are useful to astronomers, so they are against it. Astronomers also argue that eliminating leap seconds would lead to a break from being in sync with the sun, therefore there would eventually reach a point in which 12:00pm is midnight. This argument is flawed because it will take over 1,000 years before there is any noticeable change. People dont live for much more than 100, so there will not ever be a change that is noticeable in a person's lifetime.
Dishonorable Scum
09-11-2005, 16:31
Among those upset by the idea is Daniel Gambis who works for the intriguingly named Earth Rotation Service.

I think I see what's going on. First they get rid of leap seconds. Next they'll abolish the Earth Rotation Service, and the Earth will stop rotating. It's obviously just the first step towards converting the Earth from a sphere back to its original flat configuration.

:rolleyes:
Avika
09-11-2005, 18:31
Ooookkaaayyyy... Since we're probably going to get rid of that confusing leap-second, can we rid ourselves of the leap-millisecond? Scientists have been wanting to be so damn accurate lately. Unless we're dealing with quantum physics or other complex stuff, I don't give a damn if I'm off by a second. It's close enough. It's like before the vacuum cleaner, there was such a thing as clean enough. Once it got invented, house wives and clean freaks started cleaning every hour on the hour. It actually increased the amount of effort. I don't care if they miss their favorite star in some far-off galaxy. We need something practical, not some hobby that turned into a career. Let them rid us of this obcession with accurasy. It's too damn stupid. Plus, that stupid Prime Meridian has caused nothing but undeserved pride. Guess what? The guy who came up with it is dead now. I doubt he'd give a damn if we got rid of it. We could dig up his grave and lay a big steaming turd on his skull and he'd not give a damn. Plus, when you have entire nations divided into Monday and Tuesday, you know you've got problems.
Amarnaiy
09-11-2005, 18:34
Oi! STEALING TIME!? Time is infinite! Time does not physically exist, therefor it cannot be stolen... Gawsh. >< :D Ugh. My scalp hurts.
Sinuhue
09-11-2005, 18:39
I wish they'd bitch about Daylight Savings instead...but yeah, this proposal seems a bit off. What the hell would they possibly gain from doing this?
Grampus
09-11-2005, 19:03
Goddamn BBC. The first Astronomer Royal, John Flamstead calculated the period of earths rotation in 1684 not 1884. http://www.derbyshireuk.net/flamstead.html

One would think that would be patently obvious to even the most simple-minded englishman. So much for the highly touted englilsh school system.

He may very well have calculated the period in 1684, but the '1884' in the article refers to when the Prime Meridian at Greenwich was agreed upon at the International Meridian Conference held in Washington DC.
H N Fiddlebottoms VIII
09-11-2005, 20:47
It makes me wonder why people like to argue over really stupid things. If the leap second really does cause a supposed problem for electronic devices, then why couldn't we agree on an "Official Earth Time" (GMT with leap seconds) and then have everyone else cruise along sans leap-seconds?
I'd say it is more a matter of some USians being stupid for griping about a miniscule problem, and the British being stupid for taking the bait.
Syniks
09-11-2005, 21:09
Oi! STEALING TIME!? Time is infinite! Time does not physically exist, therefor it cannot be stolen... Gawsh. Unless you are a Sweeper... ;)
Grampus
09-11-2005, 21:13
It makes me wonder why people like to argue over really stupid things.

Sooner time goes metric the better.

10 milidays to the centiday.
10 centidays to the deciday.
10 centidays to the day.
10 days to the hectaday.
10 dacadays to the hectoday.
10 hectodays to the kiloday.

Piece of piss.