{
  "id": 6388112,
  "title": "Leap second proposal will keep software stacks in sync",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/leap-second-proposal-will-keep-software-stacks-in-sync",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-09-09T05:24:39.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Computerworld",
    "slug": "computerworld",
    "url": "https://www.computerworld.com/article/4220034/leap-second-proposal-will-keep-software-stacks-in-sync-2.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A proposal will be discussed at the General Conference on Weights and Measures (GCWM) in October that aims to keep computer systems in sync with the earth's rotation. If approved, this would mean that a negative leap second may need to be applied instead of the usual addition of a second, as the planet's rotation has recently become slightly faster. Computer systems have not been designed to handle a negative leap second, and implementing it could pose significant challenges for critical infrastructure and digital systems. The proposal suggests allowing Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) to become continuous, with the two clocks drifting apart by up to an hour. This approach, while unconventional, could prevent potential issues that could arise from abrupt changes to the system. Experts warn that the consequences of a negative leap second could be significant, ranging from minor inconsistencies to more severe systemic risks, as different systems interpret time differently.",
  "summary": "For decades, global time experts have mapped atomic clock time to the earth’s rotation, periodically adding a second (aka a leap second) as rotation slowed. But the planet’s rotation has now slightly sped up, which could mean that a negative adjustment will be required. The problem is that computer systems have not been programmed to do that. To avoid this issue, the General Conference on Weights…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}