A Brief History Of (Keeping) Time

A brief history of time…
↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓

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.

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It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D.
Director: Joe Nicolosi
Writer: Matt Caplan, Ph.D. and Joe Hanson, Ph.D.
Editor/animator: David Schulte
Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox

Produced by PBS Digital Studios
Music via APM

[besmart]

A new video? It's about time!

No, really. It's about time. Hope you enjoyed the history of how we keep time! Leave a comment and let us know what you think ⏰

Finger joints and minute is the same word in Hungarian

[asapicton]

2:06. Splitting the circle into 360 degrees wasn’t “very random.” They did so because of how easily it divides into half’s, thirds, fourths, fifths, sixths, eighths, ninths and tenths without breaking into any long complicated decimal fractions

[Rage]

>very random 360 "degrees"
It's not random at all. It's 60 × 6, *and* a Highly Composite Number (meaning it has more divisors than any number smaller than it) Why 60? Because it's *also* a Highly Composite Number. The same goes for 12 and 24.
We're not using these numbers for no good reason; it's because they're easy to break up.

[WratchetKlank]

Numbers like 12, 24, 60, and 360 are not "random" or "why not" numbers. They are all Highly Composite Numbers, having properties that make them perfect for the sort of tasks they were chosen for. This wasn't "just how it happened", it was very intentional and makes a serene sort of sense.

Often referred to as "highly divisible numbers" or "antiprimes", there are some great videos out there that shed light on this subject. I don't know about you, but I'm glad numbers like 12, 24, 60, and 360 were selected over numbers like 5040.

[october]

360 is not random it is a number with a high factors to value ratio.

[MusiCaninesTheMusicalDogs]

Perhaps you could make a video explaining why time, in physics, is considered a real thing, and not only something we created to measure the accumulation of changes in the three-dimensional space. 👍

[jaggonjaggon]

360 degrees and 60 minutes, 24 hours etc. make a lot of sense. They are highly devisble. 12 can be devided by 2, 3, 4 and 6, 24 by 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 etc. Our modern way makes no sense. Yeah we have 10 fingers(but 12 joints on each hand so whatever), but you can only devide it by 5 and 2. devisibility helps a lot in every day math

[CobaltBob]

*Time is a fidget spinner that never stops.*

[cup_check_official]

Why It Is What Time It Is Because It Is Time

[fartzinwind]

I love old large mechanical clocks. One in Seattle WA has a little note in its history about how the weight had to be adjusted when it was moved, because it was sensitive enough to pick up on the difference in gravity between the two locations due to elevation change.

[InvokingPeace]

"as always, thanks for watching"
... wait a second... you're watching V-Sauce?!?!

[shreyb]

Can watch these videos all days longg...they are so interesting yet full of knowledge.

[JimRiven]

TL:DR verion...

Because Britain bloody well said so.

[inffected]

Sorry I'm late my dudes... I actually took the time to watch the video before commenting.

[PersianMapper]

Last time i was this early, the french wanted a decimal day to be universal

[RodLandaeta]

"Thanks for watch-ing" I started laughing like a maniac, then you point out the obvious pun and I lost it. Great video.

[freesamples]

I love the Monty Python themed animated hands 👌👏

[SharmishthaBasu]

I agree with your views. I truly often wonder if time is actually as vital as we think it is or just a method we created to discipline ourselves.

[Marielmak]

Everyone steal from the babylonians !!! Lol