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International timekeepers vote to replace leap second with leap hour
The Guardian reports an agreement on timekeeping, with the first leap hour not expected for thousands of years.
The Guardian reports that international timekeeping delegates voted to replace the leap second with a leap hour. Its summary says delegates agreed the leap second was no longer tenable. It also says the first leap hour is unlikely to occur for thousands of years.
What holds up
- ✓The Guardian explicitly reports a vote by international timekeepers, rather than merely a scientific suggestion.
- ✓The extract distinguishes adoption of the approach from the distant prospect of applying a leap hour.
What doesn't yet
- ?Only one outlet covers the decision in the supplied material, with no resolution or official record attached.
- ?The extract does not provide implementation rules, transition dates or the calculations behind the projected timescale.
Ask before you share
- →What does the adopted resolution specify about implementation?
- →What assumptions underpin the estimate that a leap hour is thousands of years away?
Sources & original reporting
- [1]The Guardian · Published 15 Oct 2026 · theguardian.com