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What would happen without a Leap Day? More than you might think

February, 29, otherwise know as leap year day, is shown on a calendar Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Overland Park, Kan. Because it actually takes a bit longer than 365 days for the Earth to revolve around the sun, an extra day is added to the calendar in February every four years to make up make up for the that extra time. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
February, 29, otherwise know as leap year day, is shown on a calendar Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, in Overland Park, Kan. Because it actually takes a bit longer than 365 days for the Earth to revolve around the sun, an extra day is added to the calendar in February every four years to make up make up for the that extra time. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

By LEANNE ITALIE / AP Lifestyles Writer 7 min read


NEW YORK (AP) — Leap year. It’s a delight for the calendar and math nerds among us. So how did it all begin and why?

Have a look at some of the numbers, history and lore behind the (not quite) every-four-year phenomenon that adds a 29th day to February.

BY THE NUMBERS

The math is mind-boggling in a layperson sort of way and down to fractions of days and minutes. There’s even a leap second occasionally, but there’s no hullabaloo when that happens.