February 29: What happens if the world didn't have leap years?

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1. Earth's quarter-day quirk:

The standard calendar tells us a year lasts 365 days, but in reality, Earth takes about 365 and a quarter days to complete its orbit around the Sun. Image credits: Pexels

2. Leap day in February:

After four years, the extra hours accumulate to a full day. During a leap year, this additional day finds its place in February, extending it to 29 days. Image credits: Pexels

3. Ancient roman calendar adjustment:

Ancient Romans, with a lunar-based calendar of 355 days, noticed a misalignment with the seasons. Image credits: Pexels

4. Julius Caesar's Julian Calendar:

In 45 B.C.E., Julius Caesar adopted a solar calendar with a leap year every four years. Image credits: Pexels

5. Fine-tuning with Pope Gregory XIII:

Recognizing Earth's orbit as 365.24219 days, Pope Gregory XIII in 1582 made a slight adjustment. Image credits: Pexels

6. Preventing seasonal misalignment:

Without these corrections, the calendar could gradually deviate from the natural rhythm of seasons, causing confusion among farmers. Image credits: Pexels

7. Diverse calendar approaches:

The Jewish calendar, a harmonious blend of lunar and solar influences, incorporates a 19-year cycle, occasionally inserting a leap month for precise temporal alignment. Image credits: Pexels Find Next One