The Odd History Of Changing Our Clocks

(National Geographic)

People in the United States will feel a bit more refreshed on November 3 as daylight saving time 2019 comes to an end. The clocks fall back at 2 a.m. ET on Sunday, ushering in three months of getting up in the dark until the winter solstice welcomes back the sun on December 21.

You’ve probably heard that Ben Franklin kind of proposed daylight saving time (also erroneously called daylight savings time) centuries before it was implemented, and that the twice-yearly switch was initially adopted to save us money on energy needs.

But if you dig deeper, you’ll find out that the daylight-hoarding tradition—which was adopted in the United States just over a hundred years ago—has an even more colorful history. Around the world, daylight saving time has been affecting international relations, creating nested time zones, and potentially influencing your health. Read more