Each moment of human existence is precious, and we’ll all be getting an extra one at midnight on Tuesday (GMT). The “leap second” is to allow extremely precise devices to keep in sync with the Earth’s rotation, which is gradually slowing. The extra second added by atomic clocks at 23:59:60 will keep official time in tune with when night and day are supposed to happen.
A second can be an age: time enough to fall in love, spot a shooting star, or click ‘send’ on a massively misguided email.
We want to know how you’re going to spend yours. Here are a few suggestions from Twitter:
@guardian @hannahdev got fireworks and having a mad party for it. Guests arrive at 11.59 and leave at 12.01.
— Conor Bell (@ConorBell2991) June 30, 2015
@guardian so hard to choose: read one word from my favourite book? sip a cocktail? kiss a stranger? tweet a reply...oh no, time's up!
— Vashti (@vashti_z) June 30, 2015
@guardian Giving it to #Greece to buy them some time!
— George Mills (@GeorgeMills25) June 30, 2015
@guardianscience @jamesofwalsh Writing the great Canadian novel.
— Michael J P Burns (@mjpb5) June 30, 2015
give me a second, @guardian I'll get back to you
— marc page (@thelongramp) June 30, 2015
Please do add your own suggestions below the line (that is, if you intend to be awake). We’ll add our favourites to the article.
Screaming in terror at the futility of existence.
As always.