Date Published 28 March 2025
Ready to Time Travel 🕰
In the UK, the clocks will jump forward one hour at 1:00am on Sunday 30 March 2025, meaning the official time instantly becomes 2:00am.
By moving the clocks forward, we make the most of the available daylight in the evenings, which is perfect for activities like after-work walks, evening sports, or simply avoiding the feeling that the day is over by 5:00pm.
Interestingly, this system is also used in parts of the southern hemisphere, just adjusted to suit their summer season.
The Origins of Daylight Saving Time
The idea of adjusting the clocks is often mistakenly credited to Benjamin Franklin, who humorously suggested that people could save candles by taking advantage of more daylight. However, Franklin didn't propose the concept of changing the clocks.
The real origin of daylight-saving time goes to George Hudson, a New Zealand entomologist. In 1895, he suggested shifting the clocks to enjoy more daylight in the evenings—likely to extend his insect-collecting hours.
Daylight saving time was first put into practice by Germany in 1916 during World War I, with the UK and several other countries following shortly after as part of wartime energy-saving measures.
Do All Countries Follow Daylight Saving Time?
Not at all. Of the 195 countries globally, only about 70 observe daylight saving time, and many are rethinking the practice.
Countries close to the equator don't usually observe it since they experience relatively consistent daylight year-round. Major countries like Japan, India, and China maintain a constant time without changing the clocks.
Even within some countries, daylight saving time varies. For example, some parts of Australia follow it while others do not.
In Europe, the situation has been shifting. In 2019, the European Parliament voted to end the biannual clock changes, allowing countries to choose between permanent summer or winter time.
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