Today is Leap Day, an event that occurs every four years (sort of). Since the Earth completes its orbit around the sun in approximately 365 days, five hours and 49 minutes, adjustment had to be made to keep the Gregorian calendar in sync with the natural year.
In fact, by adding a day to February every 4 years, we would overshoot that adjustment; thus, leap day does not occur in years divisible by 100 unless they are are also divisible by 400 (e.g. 2100 will not be a leap year).
Such is our relationship with nature. We do our best to adhere to her cycles and intricate mechanisms but often fail. It is up to us to make adjustments, which are often neither accurate nor sufficient. Mutations, which disrupt structure, behavior or sensitivities, offer a prime biological example, as the coronavirus is currently demonstrating.
In fact, by adding a day to February every 4 years, we would overshoot that adjustment; thus, leap day does not occur in years divisible by 100 unless they are are also divisible by 400 (e.g. 2100 will not be a leap year).
Such is our relationship with nature. We do our best to adhere to her cycles and intricate mechanisms but often fail. It is up to us to make adjustments, which are often neither accurate nor sufficient. Mutations, which disrupt structure, behavior or sensitivities, offer a prime biological example, as the coronavirus is currently demonstrating.
