CV Student Media –
JOSH HERMANSTORFER –
- The reason we have leap day is that technically, every year has around 365 1/4 days, but fractions are just too confusing, so having an extra day every four years keeps us somewhat on track.
- It’s traditional for women to propose to men on a leap year.
- The years 1700, 1800, and 1900 were not leap years. Every year that is divisible by 100, but not 400, does not have a leap year. This is to help the overcorrection of adding a day every four years because technically, it takes the earth 365.2422 days to revolve around the sun. If every four years had 366 days, we would be thrown a lot farther off.
- The odds of having a birthday on leap day is one in 1, 461.
- Only about 4.1 million people in the world have been born on leap day.
- On leap day in 1940, the first black person, Hattie McDaniel, won an Oscar for her role in Gone With the Wind.
- February 29 is also known as Rare Disease Day.
- Leap years are also the years of the Summer Olympics and Presidential elections.
- In Ireland, February 29 is Bachelor’s Day (ever seen the movie Leap Year with Amy Adams?).
- Julius Caesar is the one who proposed the idea of having a leap year.
- Leap day babies are often referred to as leaplings. It is rumored that they have unusual talents as astrologers.
- Technically, 16 year-old leaplings have only had 4 birthdays.
*Facts according to USA Today and The Telegraph*