The Big Story Permanent daylight saving time might not be the answer. Here’s why
8 snips
Mar 6, 2026 
David Prerau, author and daylight saving time researcher, shares the origin story of DST and why it stuck. He debunks common myths, reviews energy and safety studies, and recounts past year‑round time trials that backfired. The conversation also covers cross‑jurisdictional headaches and what policymakers should weigh before making permanent changes.
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Benjamin Franklin's Humorous Origin Story
- Benjamin Franklin sketched the original daylight-saving idea after waking to morning sunlight in Paris and lamenting wasted evening light.
- Franklin joked about waking citizens with cannons and suggested shutter attacks, illustrating early playful proposals rather than a clock change plan.
William Willett's Campaign Sparked Modern DST
- William Willett campaigned in England after noticing suburban sunrise rides and published The Waste of Daylight to push moving clocks forward.
- Despite rallies and Winston Churchill's 1911 speech, Parliament repeatedly rejected Willett until World War I spurred adoption by other countries.
War Turned Daylight Saving Into Policy
- World War I accelerated DST adoption because countries like Germany used clock shifts to reduce fuel needed for factory lighting.
- The wartime energy rationale converted Willett's ignored idea into policy across belligerent nations within months.
