SPRING FORWARD: The time is almost here to set the clocks an hour ahead for daylight saving time; March 14 at 2 a.m. to be exact. We change the clocks each spring and fall, but have you ever wondered the origins of why we do so? The following are some facts about daylight saving time that may not be widely known by everyone:

-Contrary to popular belief, Benjamin Franklin did not originate the idea of moving clocks forward. He is often falsely credited for daylight saving time because of a satirical essay he wrote, declaring that if the Parisans started waking up at dawn, they could save today’s equivalent of $200 through “the economy of using sunshine instead of candles.” Though he wrote the essay, it was merely suggesting a change in sleep schedules, not a time change itself.

-In 1895, New Zealand entomologist, George Hudson came up with the modern concept of daylight savings time. His proposal included a two-hour time shift so he’d have more hours of sunshine after work to go bug hunting in the summer.

-Some years later, while riding his horse in 1905, Englishman William Willet came up with the idea that the UK should move clocks forward by 80 minutes between April and Oct. so more people could enjoy the sunlight. He shared his ideas in the brochure “The Waste of Daylight” in 1907, though the British Parliament turned down the idea, time and time again. Willet died in 1915 without ever seeing his idea come to light.

-Germany was the first country to implement daylight saving time during World War I. On April 30, 1916, Germany started observing daylight saving time to conserve electricity. Soon after, England and almost every other country that fought in World War II jumped on the bandwagon.

-On March 9, 1918, the U.S. Congress enacted its first daylight saving law. At the same time, the Standard Time Act defined time zones in the U.S.