Whose Time is it Anyway?

Which ancient civilisation first had a seven day week?

• Sumerians

• Egyptians

• Hebrews

• Romans

Answer explanation

The Hebrews used seven days, but not before the Sumerians, who named each day after a visible heavenly body (Sun day, Moon day). Egyptians had a 10 day week and prior to adopting a seven day week the Romans had eight.

What change did Julius Caesar make to the year 46 BCE, leading it to be known as 'the last year of confusion'?

• It was the first leap year

• It was 445 days long

• It was only 335 days long

• It was the first year of the Julian calendar

Answer explanation

Extra days were needed to make up for the old 355 day calendar falling behind the solar year.

The Julian calendar started the next year, in 45 BCE.

They mistakenly included leap years every third year (the first being 43 BCE)

How long was an hour in medieval Europe?

• The same as it is now

• Slightly shorter

• Slightly longer

• It varied depending on the time of year and your latitude

Answer explanation

Church bells would ring for prayer earlier in the morning and later at night in summer, and also at different absolute times depending on latitude, because sundials divide daylight evenly into twelve.

When was timekeeping accurate enough to be able to introduce a minute hand on watches?

• The sixteenth century (1500s)

• The seventeenth century (1600s)

• The eighteenth century (1700s)

• The nineteenth century (1800s)

What problem were the first mechanical clocks that remained accurate over long time intervals invented to solve?

• Factory workers turning up on time

• Coordination of railway time and local time

• Latitudinal navigation at sea

• Longitudinal navigation (at sea)

Answer explanation

Although British ships could accurately determine their longitudinal position from the stars, reliable timekeeping was needed to calculate their latitudinal position. This was so important the government offered a prize to someone who could solve it.

These clocks were named after their inventor, and can still be viewed in a museum in Greenwich, London. What are they called?

• McCartney Clocks

• Lennon Clocks

• Starr Clocks

• Harrison Clocks

Answer explanation

Other, less successful proposals included a global network of towers to spew fire at defined intervals, and torturing a dog kept at port once a day to make its twin (kept on the ship) yelp in sympathy.

What technology required the invention of time zones?

• The railways

• The telegraph

• The telephone

• Airplanes

Answer explanation

Trains were the first thing to go fast enough that there was a difference between listing local times at departure and arrival, leading to immense confusion at train stations.

The Julian calendar was eventually replaced by the Gregorian calendar (which we still use). Which was the last European country to adopt it?

• Greece

• Romania

• Russia

• Bulgaria

Answer explanation

Greece did not adopt the Gregorian calendar until 1923, and still uses it for civil purposes, prefering the Julian calendar for religious purposes.

Since 1972, twenty-seven "leap seconds" have been inserted into the year. Which of these is NOT a reason why?

• The Earth's rotation is not exactly 365.25 days

• The Earth's rotation is slowing down

• The Earth's rotation is speeding up

• The Earth's rotation varies from year to year

Answer explanation

The Earth's orbital speed can change fractionally from year to year, but on average it is slowing down. Without adjustment, we would be out one day after a few thousand years.

How many time zones are there in mainland Australia when daylight savings is in effect?

• Three

• Four

• Five

• Six

Answer explanation

WST (WA)

Central Desert Time (at the WA/SA border)

Central Standard Time (in the NT)

Central Daylight Savings Time (in SA)

AESTime (QLD)

AEDST (everywhere else)