When Does The Decade Start? Scientists Leave It For Debate

DENVER (CBS4) - As the final days of the decade tick away, many are now debating when the next decade starts. Is it at the stroke of midnight Jan. 1, 2020? Or Jan. 1, 2021?

Many argue there was no year "0," so naturally the new decade starts 2021. Experts at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) say it's a matter of how you look at it.

NIST, based in Maryland, measures time, specifically the second, and is the official source of time of day. They say they don't have an official position on the debate, but still offer some scientific input.

"We can point out that the term decade refers to any ten-year period. Culturally, people have referred to a decade as a period starting with a 0 and ending with a 9 (1970-1979)," NIST stated. "That said, if someone counted the number of decades on the modern calendar, it could make sense to start at year 1 and say that 1991 started the 200th decade."

A poll by UK-based YouGov shows a majority of the 13,582 American adults surveyed believe the next decade starts in three days.

So, are you "Team Zero" or "Team One?"