A Solar Metric Clock | Mike Olson

TL;DR

Time lacks a metric system, prompting a metric clock idea influenced by solar positioning.

Transcript

it is weird if you think about it that there's no metric system for time we got feet and meters we got quarts and liters but for time we got seconds minutes and hours and hours come in 12 not tens 12 by the way a gift from the Babylonians who could count to 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 on one hand and therefore 24 hours in the day seconds likewise an... Read More

Key Insights

• 😄 Traditional time units lack a rational metric system, impeding ease of calculations.
• ⏲️ The metric clock proposal aims to introduce a base 10 system for measuring time.
• ⏲️ Solar time, influenced by the sun's positioning, plays a crucial role in the metric clock's design.
• ⏲️ The equation of time accounts for the difference between clock time and solar time due to Earth's elliptical orbit.
• ⏲️ Crafting a solar metric clock involves aligning civil time with solar time for accurate timekeeping.
• 😀 The development of the multiclock iOS app expands the metric time concept for wider accessibility.
• ⌛ Exploring alternative time measurement methods highlights the complexities of time tracking and standardization.

Questions & Answers

Q: Why does the traditional time system lack a metric structure?

The conventional time units, like seconds, minutes, and hours, do not align with a base 10 metric system, making mental calculations challenging.

Q: How did the speaker propose to address the time measurement issue with the metric clock?

The speaker created a metric clock tracking desay, cenay, and micro days, allowing for easier and more rational time calculations.

Q: What additional time concept did the speaker explore apart from traditional and metric time?

The speaker also considered solar time based on the position of the sun in the sky, incorporating it into the solar metric clock design.

Q: How did the speaker expand the metric clock idea beyond a physical prototype?

The speaker developed an iOS application called multiclock, enabling users to engage with civil, solar, and metric time concepts on their devices.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Traditional time units lack a metric system, making calculations complex.

• The speaker delves into creating a metric clock tracking desay, cenay, and more.

• By considering solar positioning, a solar metric clock was successfully developed.