Spectrum News: Explaining the significance of Leap Year

UC faculty Rebecca Borah is media guest on regional programing

If we didn’t have Leap years the world calendar and the seasons would be a jumble, UC’s Rebecca Borah tells Spectrum News in a segment on the science behind Leap Year.

Earth takes almost 365 days, five hours and 49 minutes every year to make a full rotation around the sun. That is nearly six hours more per year, adding up to 24 hours over the course of four years.

Without an adjustment, “...it would start to have more of an effect on our calendars and eventually the seasons would slide in a different direction in our calendars,” Borah said in a live interview with Spectrum News.

Borah is a professor in UC’s Department of English who researches myths, legends and lore and often provides media commentary on traditional — and not so traditional — observances that have both cultural and scientific basis in history.

Watch the interview.

Featured image at top of watch face: iStock Photo/volodar

Impact Lives Here

The University of Cincinnati is leading public urban universities into a new era of innovation and impact. Our faculty, staff and students are saving lives, changing outcomes and bending the future in our city's direction. Next Lives Here.

Related Stories

1

Psychology Today: Why Do People With Anxiety Love Halloween?

November 1, 2022

UC Department of English faculty Gary Vaughn cited as an expert in Psychology Today for an article on why people with anxiety love Halloween. The article gives seven reasons for this theory, with Vaughn speaking to modern horror stories.

2

Cincinnati Magazine: Write here, write now

August 11, 2023

UC is a base for two well known literary publications: Cincinnati Review and Short Vine. Both are featured in an article in Cincinnati Magazine highlighting the impact local publications make in the literary world.

3

March is a month associated with both good and bad luck

March 20, 2023

The month of March holds space for both St. Patrick's Day and The Ides of March. These two events are associated with both good and bad luck, as explained by Rebecca Borah who researches popular culture and the traditions associated with myths, legends, lore and truths.