What Is the Truth Behind Daylight Saving Time and Who Actually Started It?

The Benjamin Franklin Myth and the Sarcastic Laugh

As daylight saving time begins, many people assume that the American scientist and prominent politician Benjamin Franklin was the mastermind behind the idea, citing his 1784 humorous essay in which he suggested that Parisians wake up early to save on candles. However, scientific and historical facts confirm that Franklin was not serious in his proposal. Instead, he was writing a text mocking human laziness that had nothing to do with setting clocks forward or back. So where did the idea actually come from?

The Explorer Who Searched for Sunlight

The true credit for launching the modern daylight saving time idea goes to the British entomologist and builder, architect William Willet. While riding his bicycle on an early London morning in 1905, he noticed how much daylight was being wasted while people slept. He dedicated the rest of his life to convincing the British government of the need to push clock hands forward in the summer to make the most of sunlight. Although he died before seeing his dream officially realized, his efforts laid the foundation for the practice used today.

Wars and Energy Crises Are the Real Driver

This practice did not spread globally for agricultural reasons, as some think. Instead, the conditions of wars and energy crises forced it. Germany and its allies were the first to officially adopt daylight saving time in 1916 during World War I to reduce coal consumption for generating electricity. Since then, clocks have changed twice a year for purely economic and strategic reasons, varying among countries according to longitude and the need to save energy.

By: Hany Sallam

Source: popsci.com

Published by Hany Sallam

Hany Sallam, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Scientific Magazine Ahram
An independent Arabic science magazine operating since 2008, dedicated to simplifying science, technology, space, natural phenomena and scientific stories for Arabic readers. The magazine includes sections such as “Zodiac Group” and “Stories and Tales”, alongside science topics that combine knowledge with a spirit of discovery. It operates independently and is not affiliated with Al-Ahram Press Foundation or any governmental body.