On June 30 2015 an extra second will be inserted into the very end of the day. This extra second is called a leap second. Why do we need leap seconds? Although we take the average length of a day to be 24 hours, the mean solar day, or average "natural" day measured by the… Continue reading Jun 30 2015 – Leap Second
Author: Steve Hurley
Hi I am Steve Hurley. Although I work in the IT industry. I studied for a PhD in astronomy in the 1980s. My real passion is explaining scientific concepts to a non-scientific audience. My blog (explainingscience.org) covers various scientific topics, but primarily astronomy. It is written in a style that it is easily understandable to the non scientist.
Publications and videos
For links to my books and videos please visit www.explainingscience.org
Ultimate Fate of the Universe.
This post, which is the latest in my series on cosmology, is about the ultimate fate of the Universe, a subject which has engaged scientists, philosophers and religious leaders for centuries. There are many possible endings to the Universe, but the outline I will present here, which is sometimes called "The Big Freeze", is the most commonly held… Continue reading Ultimate Fate of the Universe.
The Future of humanity
As described in my previous post (The Future of the Sun), in about 5 billion years time the Sun will swell up to at least 100 times its current diameter and this will make the surface of the Earth far too hot to sustain life. What Sunrise might look like when the Sun is a red… Continue reading The Future of humanity
The Future of the Sun
The Sun, central to our Solar System, generates energy through nuclear fusion, combining hydrogen into helium. Over billions of years, it will evolve into a red giant, ultimately shedding outer layers to form a planetary nebula and becoming a white dwarf. Life on Earth will become uninhabitable well before these changes occur.
Easter Sunday 5-th April
Updated March 2026 In 2026, for the majority of Christians, Sunday 5 April will be Easter Sunday, one of the most of the most important dates in the Christian calendar. The Pope gives a traditional Easter Message from the Vatican Easter is also widely marked by non Christians. In many countries chocolate Easter Eggs and Easter Bunnies… Continue reading Easter Sunday 5-th April
Explaining Science 