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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| New Year delayed by one second | New Year delayed by one second |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| A "leap second" will be added to this year's New Year's countdown to compensate for a slowdown in the Earth's rotation. | A "leap second" will be added to this year's New Year's countdown to compensate for a slowdown in the Earth's rotation. |
| The extra second will occur as clocks strike midnight and a time of 23:59:60 will be recorded, delaying 2017 momentarily. | The extra second will occur as clocks strike midnight and a time of 23:59:60 will be recorded, delaying 2017 momentarily. |
| It will only affect countdowns in countries using Greenwich Mean Time, which includes Britain. | |
| The change is required because standard time lags behind atomic clocks. | The change is required because standard time lags behind atomic clocks. |
| A leap second last occurred in June 2015 and this will be the 27th time it has occurred. | |
| The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) - responsible for the UK's national time scale - uses the atomic clock to provide a stable and continuous timescale. | The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) - responsible for the UK's national time scale - uses the atomic clock to provide a stable and continuous timescale. |
| Along with other clocks across the globe, it provides the world with its coordinated universal time. | Along with other clocks across the globe, it provides the world with its coordinated universal time. |
| NPL senior research scientist Peter Whibberley said: "Atomic clocks are more than a million times better at keeping time than the rotation of the Earth, which fluctuates unpredictably. | NPL senior research scientist Peter Whibberley said: "Atomic clocks are more than a million times better at keeping time than the rotation of the Earth, which fluctuates unpredictably. |
| "Leap seconds are needed to prevent civil time drifting away from Earth time. | "Leap seconds are needed to prevent civil time drifting away from Earth time. |
| "Although the drift is small - taking around 1,000 years to accumulate a one-hour difference - if not corrected it would eventually result in clocks showing midday before sunrise." | "Although the drift is small - taking around 1,000 years to accumulate a one-hour difference - if not corrected it would eventually result in clocks showing midday before sunrise." |
| Atomic clocks use the change of electron energy levels to tell the time. | Atomic clocks use the change of electron energy levels to tell the time. |
| The time created by the clocks is used in GPS location devices and is used to control the wave frequency of television broadcasts. | The time created by the clocks is used in GPS location devices and is used to control the wave frequency of television broadcasts. |
| The International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service in France tracks the Earth's rotation and announces the need for a leap second. | The International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service in France tracks the Earth's rotation and announces the need for a leap second. |