The current Gregorian calendar, introduced in 1582, is the most widely used calendar worldwide. However, as discussed at a conference titled “What if we change the calendar?” held at the Institute of Radio Astronomy and Astrophysics of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), it still has its limitations. Luis Alberto Zapata González highlighted that one of the main challenges of the Gregorian calendar is the discrepancy between the solar year and the calendar year, leading to a gradual accumulation of errors over time.
Moreover, seasonal lag and the influence of the Moon on Earth’s rotation contribute to these challenges. Despite several proposed alternatives such as perpetual international calendars and world calendars, perfecting a calendar that aligns perfectly with astronomical phenomena remains a significant challenge.
While some proposals suggest organizing days differently or adding extra months to address these discrepancies, implementing such changes on a global scale would be complex due to religious, cultural, and practical considerations. As Zapata González concluded, while changing it on a universal scale would be a daunting task given widespread use and acceptance of existing systems.
