I have an actual scientific question...

whoa, L is still here, old skool sg rocks on...

i think a communal pot of kraft dinner is required for this one...

ta dah

3. the basic unit of time in the International System of Units, equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 cycles of radiation in a transition, or energy level change, of the cesium atom. Symbol: s, S; Abbr.: sec

I knew this at one point.

"I knew this at one point." That phrase is the hallmark of a quality public education system.

The real question is, how did they used to measure a second?

[Edited on Apr 30, 2003 by icarustar]

used too?

further ta dah
physics of now?

yep

government science sites are kick ass. god bless darpa

okay, that completely freaked me out. how DO they know that sort of stuff for sure? is it certain? are they sure that it isn't actually 3002 by now, if the calculations were slightly off?

and that is why i shouldn't be given drugs.

Maybe they're wrong, who knows. They could just be looking at their duck billed platapus in the wrong way.

Ummm I just look at my watch

I am sure the calender, day/night time takes care of the whole year 3002 thing. Unless you are in Alaska, then it is 3002

Time is nothing more then a man made concept. Based on our desires to prove ourselfs over monkeys.

I still think the monkeys are winning.

= Þ

There was a post on Slashdot about leap team being added to the atomic clocks because the Earths rotation is slowing down.
So our calendar system is purely based up on the Earths rotation whereas most other things (like the meter and the second) are based upon distances travelled or cycles of particles in a vacuum.
Eventually we're going to have to use some sort of earth independant time system.

eventually, we're going to have to stop spelling independent with an 'a'

Our calendar is based on earth's rotation because a day consist on one full rotation of the part of the earth exposed to the sun. And since our only reliable way to tell time prior to the atomic clock was to split the period between two known astronomical events in precise and predictable fractions.

The thing about leap seconds is only because an actual day as perceived through astronomical events may not last exactly 86400 seconds and cesium will always decay at such an accurate rate. Prior to the late 20th century, we'd have been hard pressed to notice anything since our clocks where all less precise then our math.

parhaps...but for now I shall ramain indapandant of your facist spalling systam.