The Long, Twisted History Of Daylight Saving Time

Time in the U.S. used to be totally lawless and warped. You could take an hour’s drive from Ohio to West Virginia and pass through seven different time zones. Something had to be done. Enter: the federal Committee for Time Uniformity in 1966. Half a century later, daylight saving time has basically become standard time; it’s the clock we go by most of the year, and Florida just announced that this year, it’s going to spring ahead and then stay there — forever. This hour, we take a look at the long, strange and frequently confusing history of daylight saving time with a guest who’s written an entire book on the subject. (Oh, and don’t forget to set your clocks an hour ahead today if you haven’t already.)