Why does an hour have 60 minutes, and a day 24 hours?

It’s not random… Over 5,000 years ago, the ancient Sumerians looked to the skies and invented the system of time we still follow today.

Instead of using a base-10 (decimal) or base-12 (duodecimal) system, these early innovators used a sexagesimal (base-60) system. Why? Because 60 is a highly divisible number — it can be evenly divided by 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 15, 20, and 30. Perfect for measuring cosmic patterns.

Ancient astronomers also believed a year had 360 days — a number neatly divisible by 60 six times.

Though the Sumerian Empire was short-lived, its legacy has endured. For millennia, we’ve measured time through their lens — hours, minutes, and even the 360° circle we still use in geometry.

Sometimes, the past doesn’t just shape us — it structures our every second…