Origins of Time Measurement
The Sumerians introduced the concept of dividing day into 24 hours. They based their time system on the sexagesimal (base-60) numeral system, which is why we have 60 minutes in an hour.
Sundials to Mechanical Clocks
Ancient Egyptians used sundials to track time by shadow. By the 14th century, mechanical clocks began to appear, offering more precision and eventually leading to personal timepieces like watches.
Introduction of Standard Time
Standard time was proposed by Sir Sandford Fleming in the 1870s to solve scheduling issues caused by local solar times. It led to the creation of time zones, which we still use today.
Leap Seconds Adjustment
Since Earth's rotation is irregular and slowing, 'leap seconds' are occasionally added to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) to keep clocks in sync with Earth's rotation.
Atomic Clocks Era
The most accurate clocks today are atomic clocks, which measure time based on the vibration of cesium atoms. They're so precise that they will be off by less than a second over 100 million years.
Impact of Time on Health
Circadian rhythms regulate our sleep-wake cycles. Disruption, like jet lag or shift work, can have significant effects on health, highlighting the intricate connection between time and the human body.
Time in Space Exploration
Timekeeping is crucial in space. NASA uses the Deep Space Atomic Clock for precise navigation. Time dilation, predicted by Einstein, must be accounted for in the calculations for GPS satellites.
Who introduced the 24-hour day division?
Ancient Egyptians
Sir Sandford Fleming
The Sumerians
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