Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

Why did the Unix Epoch start in 1970?

The date was chosen somewhat arbitrarily by the early developers of Unix. It was as a convenient, round number that predated the release of the OS, ensuring that all subsequent system logs would have positive numbers.

Is time travel possible?

Specifically, travel into the "future" is already happening via time dilation. Travel into the "past" is currently considered impossible by the laws of physics, though theoretical solutions like wormholes exist in mathematics.

Technical Questions

What is the difference between GMT and UTC?

GMT is a time zone used in the UK and parts of Africa. UTC is a time standard used by scientists and computers worldwide. While they often show the same time, UTC is based on atomic clocks and does not change for Daylight Saving Time.

What will happen in 2038?

The Year 2038 Problem occurs when 32-bit Unix timestamps overflow. This could cause some older computer systems to reset their date to 1901. Most modern systems have already moved to 64-bit timestamps, which won't overflow for billions of years.

Resources

If you have more questions, explore our Glossary or our Learning Center.