Skip to main content
Back to Show
It's Okay to Be Smart

Why It Is What Time It Is (The History of Time)

Season 5 Episode 36

How did we come up with our system of telling time? Why do we divide the day into 24 hours of 60 minutes each, and put 60 seconds in each minute? Where does the definition of a second come from? And who decides what clock shows the correct time? There’s clearly a lot of questions when it comes to time.

Support Provided By
Season
Why the 2024 Solar Eclipse is Such a Big Deal
15:17
On April 8, North America is getting a total solar eclipse. Here’s what you need to know.
Space is Full of Junk. Here’s How to Clean It Up…
12:09
Learn about the space junk problem and the giant space claw named ClearSpace-1 that might
Why NASA Punched an Asteroid
14:28
These tiny pieces of an ancient asteroid could hold the secret to the origin of life.
Maybe We've Already Made First Contact…
10:28
What do scientists think are the best ways of reaching out to aliens?
I Don’t Know How to Feel About 2023
9:40
How bad is climate change in 2023? We talk to scientists to understand the data and what w
How Scientists Made the Hottest Thing Ever
13:38
A cosmic soup hadn’t existed in 13.8 billion years. Now, scientists cook it up in a lab.
Can a Billion Oysters Save New York City?
12:56
After a century of industrial pollution and superstorms, New York's waterways needs help!
Crash Test Science! (Hacking Physics To Save Lives)
37:33
Crashing a car is usually a terrible accident. But sometimes, it’s a way to save lives.
The Strange Psychology of Superfans
18:10
A huge part of our identities, emotions, and our lives get tied up...Why is that?
How Did X Become the Unknown (and so much else)?
10:57
X is everywhere and it’s probably thanks to math. But why is x the symbol for the unknown?
What Is The Most Average Thing?
17:34
What’s the most average thing in the universe? We’re on a mission to find it.
The Biggest Myth About Innovation
17:48
New ideas come from chance events and unexpected connections involved in working together.
Active loading indicator