Time is a fascinating and complex concept that has intrigued humans for centuries. While we may think we have a good understanding of time, there are many surprising and counterintuitive things about it that we may not be aware of.

1. Language Affects Your Perception of Time

The way we perceive time is influenced by the language we use. For example, English speakers describe time as being in front of or behind them, or as a horizontal line moving left to right. Mandarin speakers envision time as a vertical line where down represents the future, while Greek people tend to view time as a three-dimensional entity that is "big" or "much" rather than "long."

2. The Universe Will Eventually End, and Time Will Lose Its Meaning

As the universe ages, entropy will increase until it reaches a maximum. This state is known as heat death, and it is when time loses its directionality. In other words, there will be no more past or future, and time will become meaningless.

3. Consciousness May Require Time

Our sense of self is intimately connected to our perception of time. We construct our identity through our memories and experiences, which are all rooted in time. Without time, it may not be possible to have conscious experience.

4. No Clock is 100% Accurate

Even the most precise atomic clocks are not perfect. There is always a small amount of error due to factors such as gravity and temperature. The actual process of defining what time it is – right now – is based on a weighted average of many clocks around the world.

5. We Create Our Experience of Time

Our perception of time is not simply a passive response to external stimuli. Instead, we actively construct our experience of time through our attention, emotions, and memories. For example, time seems to pass more quickly when we are bored or engaged in repetitive activities.

6. There Are Citizens of the 22nd Century Already Among Us

While the 22nd century may seem like a distant future, there are people alive today who will still be alive when it arrives. A child born in 2023 will be in their 70s in 2099.

7. We Can All Experience Time Warps

Time does not always flow at the same rate for everyone. In situations of stress or danger, our brains may speed up their internal processing, causing us to perceive time slowing down. Some people, like athletes, can even train their brains to create a time warp on demand.

8. Daylight Savings Time Was Invented by a Builder

The idea of changing the clocks for summer – to make the most of long daylight hours at higher latitudes – is often credited to a British builder named William Willett. After Willett managed to persuade political leaders, Britain made the change during World War One.

9. You Don't Actually Live in the Present

The information that reaches our brains about the world around us takes time to process. This means that we are always experiencing a slightly delayed version of reality. For example, when you see someone moving their lips and then hear the sound of their voice, your brain synchronizes the two events to make them match.

10. Our Days Are Getting Longer Due to the Moon's Gravity

The Moon's gravity is gradually pulling the Earth away from it. This causes the Earth's rotation to slow down, which in turn makes our days longer. The effect is very small – about 1.09 milliseconds per century – but it has been happening for billions of years.

11. Many People Live Outside Conventional Time

Different cultures around the world use different calendars, and some even have multiple calendars in use at the same time. For example, in Nepal, the year is 2080, while in Myanmar, it is 1384.