St. Mark's Clock Tower, Venice, Italy

© scaliger/Getty Image

The March of time. Daylight saving time begins

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.

The clock in today's image—St. Mark's Clock Tower—is in Venice, Italy, where it has been keeping time for over 500 years. This Renaissance masterpiece tracks the moon, the sun and the zodiac. Towering above is the city's iconic winged lion and two bronze Moors who strike the bell with theatrical precision.