A global timekeeping system, often referred to as Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), is the standard for regulating clocks worldwide. It provides a baseline for time to be consistent and synchronized globally. UTC allows for the coordination of time across different regions, facilitating global communications, travel, technology operations, and international business activities.
UTC does not observe daylight saving time and is kept precise through a combination of International Atomic Time (TAI) and astronomical measurements, which account for the Earth’s rotation variations. It is maintained by highly accurate atomic clocks located worldwide and adjusted periodically with leap seconds to ensure it stays in alignment with Earth’s slowing rotation. This system became the point of reference for civil timekeeping worldwide due to its precision and uniformity, replacing the previously varied local mean solar times.