Today’s date (Sunday) is a rare palindrome that hasn’t happened in over 900 years. Today has shaped up to be a unique day for reasons other than the Super Bowl and Groundhog Day.
While various forms of palindrome dates are fairly common,02/02/2020 has the unique distinction of reading the same forward and backward when written out in eight digits in multiple date systems according to Portland professor Aziz Inan.
We are so lucky to have a special palindrome date occurring in our lifetime because it’s so rare,” Inan told USA TODAY on Saturday.
For starters, it’s and eight-digit palindrome: 02022020. Many palindrome dates are only symmetrical if you write the date with seven digits (1-10-2011), or in some cases even fewer (9-10-19).
But even more rare, according to Inan, is that today’s date is an international palindrome: It works whether you write the date as “Monthly/Day/Year” or “Day/Month/Year” as many countries do.
Inan calls such dates “ubiquitous palindromes,” and there won’t be another one for 101 years. After that you’ll have to wait until March 3, 3030.
According to Inan’s calculations, the last such palindrome date to occur was 11/11/1111, more than 900 years ago.
Enjoy this unique day, the Super Bowl and with the sun out 6 more weeks of winter.
