January 4 – The Day Computers Ran Out of Time episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 4, 2026 · 5 MIN

January 4 – The Day Computers Ran Out of Time

from The Strange History Podcast · host Strange History

On January 4, 1975, early computer systems reached a hidden limit and quietly broke when they could no longer count forward in time. In this episode of The Strange History Podcast, Amy explores the bizarre true story of one of the earliest time rollover failures — how outdated assumptions caused modern machines to stumble, why engineers never expected their systems to last this long, and how this forgotten incident foreshadowed Y2K and future digital disasters. A strange reminder that even computers are at the mercy of time.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-strange-history-podcast--5773362/support.🎧 The Strange History Podcast Love bizarre true stories, forgotten scandals, and history’s most unhinged moments?Submit your ideas for The Strange History PodcastFollow The Strange History Podcast wherever you listen and never miss an episode. 🔗 Listen & Subscribe:Apple PodcastsSpotifyiHeartRadioAudibleNew episodes regularly. History gets weird here.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Jan 4, 2026

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January 4 – The Day Computers Ran Out of Time

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