Leap year 2024: On February 29, Google creates a doodle to commemorate "Leap Day."
Leap year 2024: In honor of "Leap Day," Google unveiled a doodle on Thursday, February 29. Leap Day, an extra day in February, accounts for the fact that an astronomical year is marginally less than 365 days and 6 hours.
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In Google's doodle, the dates February 28 and March 1 are displayed with a frog that is marked with the leap day date. The frog leaps, and the Leap Day date disappears. This scene is depicted with the word "Google" prominently displayed against the backdrop of a pond filled with stones and foliage.
What does a leap year entail? Wedding bells, eternal youth, and tech glitches
Every four years, an extra day—what's not to love?
In addition to keeping us in line with the seasons, the February 29 calendar oddity has given rise to a number of customs and superstitions as well as technological issues, which AFP explains here:
For what reason is there one more day?
Since the Gregorian calendar's creation in the sixteenth century, leap years have been a part of our lives. They were implemented to address a problematic fraction of the solar year.
The extra bit—roughly six hours a year—adds up over time, considering that the Earth rotates around the sun in around 365.2422 days.
Leap days are a necessary component of seasonality; without them, we would become out of step with the seasons, which would disrupt school holidays and farmers' crops.
The majority of leap years occur every four years; however, as the additional piece is not precisely six hours, years that are exactly divisible by 100 are not included.
Leap days are a necessary component of seasonality; without them, we would become out of step with the seasons, which would disrupt school holidays and farmers' crops.
The majority of leap years occur every four years; however, as the additional piece is not precisely six hours, years that are exactly divisible by 100 are not included.
However, because they divide exactly by 400, years like 1600, 2000, and 2400 are leap years.
Never too old
Born on February 29th, leap day babies, or leaplings, may have four times fewer birthdays, but some like to think it's the secret to perpetual youth.
In her lifetime, Michele Morgan, a beloved French film star who lived to be 96 years old, liked to say, at least, that.
Other well-known or infamous leaplings include US rap artist Ja Rule, serial criminal Aileen Wuornos (played by Charlize Theron in her Oscar-winning role in "Monster"), and Spanish premier Pedro Sanchez.
There are an estimated five million leaplings in the world today, with the probability of a baby being born on a leap day being one in 1,500.
In her lifetime, Michele Morgan, a beloved French film star who lived to be 96 years old, liked to say, at least, that.
Other well-known or infamous leaplings include US rap artist Ja Rule, serial criminal Aileen Wuornos (played by Charlize Theron in her Oscar-winning role in "Monster"), and Spanish premier Pedro Sanchez.
There are an estimated five million leaplings in the world today, with the probability of a baby being born on a leap day being one in 1,500.
Marry me!
According to custom, women can pop the question to men on February 29 in Ireland, a day known as Bachelor's Day or Ladies Privilege, instead of waiting to be courted.
Others assert that the man may decline but must still purchase his admirer a present. Some suggest that just a "Yes" response is acceptable.
In 2010, "Leap Day," starring Amy Adams, gave the custom a Hollywood makeover. Adams follows her partner to Dublin in an attempt to lure him into marriage by proposing on this day.
In 2004, the Irish government gave 100 euros to each child born on February 29th in honor of the International Year of the Family, marking the event's tenth anniversary.
Others assert that the man may decline but must still purchase his admirer a present. Some suggest that just a "Yes" response is acceptable.
In 2010, "Leap Day," starring Amy Adams, gave the custom a Hollywood makeover. Adams follows her partner to Dublin in an attempt to lure him into marriage by proposing on this day.
In 2004, the Irish government gave 100 euros to each child born on February 29th in honor of the International Year of the Family, marking the event's tenth anniversary.
Gratuities
On rare days in the calendar, companies can also try to attract customers.
On February 29, the popular lobster meal in the northeastern US gets discounted at the Legal Sea Foods restaurant chain.
On February 29, the popular lobster meal in the northeastern US gets discounted at the Legal Sea Foods restaurant chain.
In 2008, the pizza giant Papa John's launched its Perfect Pan Pizza on Leap Day, using the slogan "One Giant Leap for Pankind."
Additionally, leap years result in discounted rates at hotels and on airfare.
In one of its advertisements, US airline Virgin America stated, "Why leap when you can fly?"
The system is incapable of computing
Twice every ten years, there is an additional day, which has also caused some internet chaos—never more so than in 2000.The dire forecasts of a complete information blackout on January 1st proved to be unfounded, but on February 29th, a startling string of system failures occurred all over the world.
