"Unraveling Leap Year: Everything You Need to Know About the Bonus Day"

The leap year, occurring nearly every four years, is a result of the Earth's orbit around the sun taking approximately 365.242190 days. This extra day is added to the Gregorian calendar to maintain synchronization with the solar year. The tradition of leap year has historical roots in various civilizations and has implications for birthdays, with about 5 million "leaplings" worldwide. While some celebrate leap day with festivities and traditions, others, like economist Steve Hanke, advocate for a new calendar system to eliminate the need for leap years.