Initially, there were 24 time zones used globally, but as countries use 15-45 hour differences, more time zones were created. When you travel over the seas, you have to remind yourself of changing the time zone. This is because as you go farther, time zones are changing. But what if there is only one time zone used across the globe? What would happen if there is a universal time zone? Are there other benefits aside from avoiding the hassle of changing clocks?

The Invention of Time Zones

Isn’t it ironic that time zones were created to avoid confusion about time? Instead of confusing people because there are many time zones to be used, these tools could organize time in the world. Although some only have one, having time zones can help determine the time differences, especially when it comes to faraway places. For instance, noon at point A is one hour earlier from point B because these two places are 15 degrees apart from the globe. 

Sir Sandford Fleming, a Scottish-born engineer, devised a system in which the world was divided into 24 time zones. These are spaced at roughly 15-degree intervals across the planet. Before, the time was based not on the local solar day, but through Fleming’s system, time zones were associated with the Royal Greenwich Observatory in the U.K. Here Lies the Greenwich Mean Time, which was determined by the average time of day when the sun passed over the Prime Meridian at Greenwich. It refers to the line that divides the Eastern and Western hemispheres.

What Will Happen If There Is Only One Time Zone?

Have you ever thought of having only one time zone? If so, what will happen with time? If there is one time zone, timekeeping and time management will become easier. This is because you don’t have to compute the time differences between countries. 9:00 am in one country will also be 9:00 am in the rest of the world, regardless if it is day or night. Having a universal time zone has its pros and cons; that’s why people have contradicting opinions regarding abolishing time zones.

Besides having no more time zones to follow, there are other benefits of abolishing time zones that people use nowadays. According to those who initiated the bill, discarding the time zones might eliminate the adverse health effects of sleep deprivation. This is because changing clocks significantly affect people, such as disturbing their circadian rhythm. When this happens, the risk of having heart disease becomes higher.

There are many time zones in the world, and though the bill of abolishing them is still in consideration, what matters most is you understand how they work. If you are struggling with time management, especially when dealing with other people worldwide, you can use time management tools to efficiently determine the time differences.