February 2, 2020 isn’t only Groundhog Day. It’s also Palindrome Day. If you don’t know what that means — or that a palindrome is a word or a number sequence that reads the same backwards and forwards, for example: racecar or 10101 — then look at that date again: 02/02/2020. Flip it backwards, year first, and the numbers stay the same: 2020/02/02. Put the month in the middle, bookended by the date and the year, and it’s the same: 02/02/2020. No matter how you look at it, It’s a perfect palindrome.
Enjoy it while it lasts: As noted by Mashable, this is the first time in a whopping 909 years — that number also a perfect palindrome — since the month, day, and year have been palindromic. The last time this occurred? November 11 in the year 1111, aka 11/11/1111.
Pretty cosmic, yeah? Well, there’s also this: The next time the Gregorian calendar gets a palindromic date won’t be until 12/12/2121 — some 101 years from now. (And note that that number, too, is a palindrome.)
While this milestone hasn’t inspired a Super Bowl commercial à la the 1993 comedy Groundhog Day, it was met with great rejoicing amongst the internet’s many nerds.
https://twitter.com/BusterKeatonGif/status/1223986171094749188
Welcome to World #PalindromeDay:
02 02 2020
This is the first time in over 900 years (since 11/11/1111) the date is palindromic no matter the date format.
It’s also the 33rd day of the year with 333 days left! pic.twitter.com/qO379rIp83
— Holly Green (@HollyJGreen) February 2, 2020
The first rule of Palindromists Anonymous Club is "name no-one, man".#PalindromeDay
— Brian Bilston (@brian_bilston) February 2, 2020
HAPPY #PalindromeDay
02/20/2020
•For the first time in over 900 years we have an eight digit palindrome day!
•The last time was 11/11/1111.
•A palindrome is when you read today's date the same forward and backwards.
•Consider it a sign of potential good luck! #28X pic.twitter.com/X7rCY7DBuM
— Naked Numerology ® (@OneLuckyGirl_28) February 2, 2020
It's 02-02-2020. In honor of this palindrome day, here is a 500-word palindrome I wrote for my book, This Is A Book By Demetri Martin. Feel free to read the palindrome to everyone at your Super Bowl Party. #PalindromeDay pic.twitter.com/FOP3EkTjhW
— Demetri Martin (ThatDemetri@gmail.com) (@DemetriMartin) February 2, 2020
Noon. For #PalindromeDay, Bob, Otto (solo gigolos) & Hannah are here. Go hang a salami – I’m a lasagna hog! Also naan, tangy gnat and an evil olive. No lemons, alas no melon. Desserts I stressed.
Ada, our taco cat, swaps a nut for a jar of tuna; Emil, a sleepy baby, peels a lime
— Samuel West 💙💛 (@exitthelemming) February 2, 2020
https://twitter.com/ThatEricAlper/status/1224002518163894272
This being social media, the day was met with some nit-picking, too.
It bothers me that the word 'palindrome' is not itself a #palindrome. Can't we change it to 'palinilap'? #PalindromeDay
— Chris Smith (@itschrissmith) February 2, 2020
Ok everyone, I’ve just found someone named Hannah (palindrome) who is turning 22 (palindrome) on 02/02/2020 (palindromapalooza). We can all go home now.
— Matt Parker (@standupmaths) February 2, 2020
And one person found a way to make it about Chris Evans’ butt.
Probably not what they mean but I’m celebrating #PalindromeDay my way. He reads🔥🔥🔥🔥backwards and forwards. pic.twitter.com/hvBFxrxEg3
— Just Luna (@ChrisEvans_USA) February 2, 2020
Anyway, happy Palindrome Day to you and yours! Feel free to celebrate by asking yourself such palindromic questions as: Was it a rat I saw? Or: Do goose see god?
(Via Mashable)