daylight saving time 2024
Time change 2024: Spring forward tonight! What to know about daylight saving time
we ready ourselves tonight to adjust our clocks forward for daylight saving time. Changing the clocks is a biannual ritual observed meticulously from coast to coast. Hence, it might come as a surprise that the federal government is still grappling with determining the exact time and the ideal time standards. Scott McFarland sheds light on this issue from the Rockies, where a 206-acre federal government campus outside Denver invests considerable effort in studying time.
Within the confines of the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s lab, scientist Andrew Novic and the federal government’s time and frequency division are honing their atomic clock. This clock, which measures the movement of atoms, is instrumental in precisely calculating time. Novic emphasizes the precision involved, dealing in nanoseconds, which are billions of seconds.
Concerns about precision extend to elements like your phone’s GPS. GPS relies on atomic clocks aboard satellites, facilitating accurate location determination. Despite the appearance of clock precision, imperfections arise over time. This is especially critical in domains like the stock market, where timing is crucial. Every few years, the global community must add a leap second to maintain alignment.
Government involvement in time standards dates back a century when time zones were established to aid transportation systems. Today, jurisdictions like Montgomery County, Maryland, are initiating studies to enhance time monitoring accuracy for better punctuality. In Congress, debates include proposals to make daylight saving time permanent, driven by preferences like gaining an extra hour. However, opposition arises, particularly due to concerns about late morning darkness.
Returning to the federal lab in the mountains, meticulous testing continues to refine time measurement down to nanoseconds. This pursuit reflects a quest for perfection in timekeeping. Scott McFarland’s report underscores the precision required in handling time, even down to linguistic nuances like “saving” versus “savings” time, a common misstep in discussions around time standards.
The history of daylight saving time and its effect on our health
This weekend, the majority of us will adjust our clocks back one hour, marking the biannual tradition of switching between daylight saving time and standard time. However, there’s a growing movement advocating for the elimination of this practice altogether, as William Brangham reports.
Like many across the nation, Scott Yates is preparing to set his clocks back for standard time. Yet, he, along with an increasing number of Americans, finds the practice frustrating. Yates compares the situation to someone altering your alarm clock without consent, causing annoyance and disruption. Despite this sentiment, the government continues the tradition annually, leaving many feeling sleep-deprived and disoriented.
In most states, excluding Arizona and Hawaii, clocks are set forward in early March for daylight saving time and turned back in early November for standard time. Yates, prompted by his wife, began a blog collecting various studies and reports examining the rationale behind clock changes, their economic impacts, and compelling evidence suggesting adverse effects on health.
Yates emerged as an authority on the subject, testifying before state legislatures and even running for Congress in Colorado, focusing on ending the biannual clock adjustment. This push gained momentum, with 19 states passing legislation to eliminate the switch and make daylight saving time permanent, despite federal law prohibiting such action. Earlier this year, the bipartisan Sunshine Protection Act was introduced in the Senate, aiming to establish permanent daylight saving time, although it awaits resolution in the House.
But why do we partake in this practice? Contrary to popular belief, it’s not to benefit farmers. Historian David Prerau explains that the idea originated during World War I as a measure to conserve energy. Over time, it became a federal policy, with President Johnson setting specific dates for daylight saving time in the 1960s.
However, the public’s response to year-round daylight saving time was negative, leading to the reinstatement of biannual clock changes. Today, while many advocate for permanent daylight saving time for longer evenings, health experts caution against it, emphasizing the importance of morning light for maintaining healthy sleep cycles.
As debates continue in Congress and state legislatures, we can appreciate a few more extended autumn evenings before reverting to darkness on Sunday morning.
What is Daylight Saving Time
For more than half of the year, this sundial fails to accurately indicate the time. This discrepancy arises because many nations advance their clocks by one hour from the end of March to the end of October, a practice known as daylight saving time. This temporal adjustment impacts over one billion people globally. However, in recent times, several nations, including the European Union, have proposed abandoning daylight saving time. This prompts us to question the origins of seasonal clock changes and whether it’s time to bid them farewell.
In most countries, the standard time zone aligns reasonably well with the sun. For instance, midday generally corresponds to when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky, with equal periods of daylight before and after. However, approximately 70 countries deviate from this synchronization for about half of the year due to daylight saving time. This practice involves advancing clocks during warmer months to extend daylight into the evening hours. Towards the end of March, countries in the northern hemisphere move their clocks forward by one hour, resulting in later sunsets and sunrises. Conversely, in late October, clocks are set back by an hour, reducing daylight in the evening and brightening early mornings. In the southern hemisphere, this pattern reverses, with daylight saving time occurring during summer months.
The concept of daylight saving was initially proposed by New Zealander George Hudson in 1895. A scientist studying insects, Hudson sought to utilize the extra daylight in summer for his research. Although his idea didn’t gain traction at the time, it resurfaced at the turn of the 20th century through the efforts of British builder William Willett. Willett’s publication, ‘The Waste of Daylight,’ advocated for advancing clocks by 80 minutes in 20-minute increments. Despite garnering support from figures like Winston Churchill, Willett passed away in 1915 before seeing his proposal realized. Willett, an avid golfer, disliked ending his rounds at dusk, arguing that valuable sunlight was wasted while people slept. He advocated for utilizing this additional daylight and pleasant weather for leisure activities after work. However, when daylight saving was eventually adopted, its primary aim was not to enhance summer evenings but rather to conserve resources during wartime.
During World War I, Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire became the first to implement daylight saving time in 1916. This measure aimed to reduce electricity consumption for lighting, thus conserving coal for the war effort. Subsequently, other nations, including the United Kingdom and the United States, followed suit. Although daylight saving initially yielded significant energy savings, modern industrialization and technological advancements have diminished its impact. Studies indicate that moving an hour of daylight to the evening results in minimal reductions in electricity usage, with greater savings observed in regions farther from the equator. However, in countries closer to the equator, increased indoor activities during longer, sunlit evenings contribute to higher electricity consumption, primarily due to air conditioning and electronic devices.
Opinions regarding daylight saving remain divided, with some nations and regions experiencing internal disagreements over its implementation. For instance, in the United States, states like Hawaii and Arizona have opted out of daylight saving, citing their ample sunshine. Within Arizona, further complexities arise due to territories and reservations with differing timekeeping practices. Similar divisions exist in Australia, Brazil, and Canada, where certain states or provinces have chosen not to observe daylight saving. However, the European Union aims to streamline this issue by phasing out daylight saving altogether.
In 2019, the European Parliament voted to abolish daylight saving time across all member states from 2021, reflecting the desires of EU residents. Nevertheless, supporters and critics of seasonal clock changes remain at odds regarding its effects. While daylight saving has been associated with reduced road traffic accidents and increased retail activity, studies also suggest adverse impacts on public health, including heightened risks of car accidents, heart attacks, strokes, and depressive episodes.
Ultimately, the decision to eliminate daylight saving reflects changing societal needs and priorities, with many questioning the relevance of this practice in the modern era. As discussions surrounding its abolition continue, it’s evident that daylight saving’s fate hangs in the balance, with implications for millions worldwide. We invite you to share your thoughts on daylight saving in the comments below and stay tuned for more updates.