Daylight saving time begins Mar. 9, 2025

It"s that time of year again—when clocks spring forward, stealing an hour of sleep but giving us longer evenings to enjoy. Daylight saving time (DST) starts today at 2 AM, reminding us that time, quite literally, waits for no one. The idea is simple: maximising daylight and reducing energy consumption by syncing our activities with the natural light cycle. This concept was popularised by Benjamin Franklin in the 18th century, though his suggestion to "save candles" was more satirical than a serious proposal. Fast forward to the early 20th century, and many countries adopted DST to conserve fuel during wartime. Today, DST runs from March to November in around 70 countries, giving us eight months of extended evening light.

© scaliger/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

A rainbow that’s worth the rainfall
Mar. 9, 2024Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness, New Mexico, USA
Mar. 9, 2026Grey seal sleeping on the beach, Orkney Islands, Scotland

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Platinum Jubilee celebrations
Feb. 6, 20262026 Winter Olympics
How can we help at-risk animals?
Aug. 24, 2024Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, Maine, USA
If given Menton, make lemonade
Feb. 15, 2026World Whale Day
Feb. 28, 2026Oloupena Falls, island of Molokai, Hawaii, United States
Apr. 19, 2025Zion National Park, Utah, United States
Willamette National Forest, Oregon
May 6, 2024The Roaches ridge in the Peak District, England
Oct. 26, 2024Gespensterwald, Nienhagen, Germany
May 30, 2025Little Pigeon River, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, United States
Dec. 21, 2024Happy winter solstice!
Apr. 7, 2024International Beaver Day
The top of Tennessee
Apr. 4, 2026Black grouse males, Estonia
Nov. 28, 2024Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park, British Columbia
Apr. 20, 2026Buckets on maple trees collecting sap for maple syrup
Secluded sands in Mexico
Sep. 19, 2024International Talk Like a Pirate Day
Sep. 10, 2025Hay bales in North Yorkshire, England
Mar. 11, 2025Broken Beach in Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia
‘Night shining’ clouds
Mar. 11, 2024Koala sleeping in a eucalyptus tree, Australia
Jun. 2, 2024Annas hummingbird
Oct. 24, 2025Night view of the RMS Queen Mary, Long Beach, California, United States
Add wind, combine with water, and you’ll get...
Oct. 13, 2023Jasper Dark Sky Festival
Chasing summer in the art world
Ive got a lot of problems with you penguins!