2008 Given an Additional Second

According to the world’s official timekeepers, 2008 is to be granted one more second.

It’s a “leap second” added to Wednesday, December 31, which will compensate for the Earth’s slowing down, just a hair. The Earth’s rotation is continually, albeit slightly, changing due to tides and other reasons.

The U.S. Naval Observatory will add the second 23 hours, 59 minutes and 59 seconds Coordinated Universal Time, which is actually 3:59:59 p.m. Pacific time. This is the 24th time a second has been added to our clocks since 1972.