Definition
Plain language
The world's reference clock, used to give times that mean the same thing everywhere.
As stated in the literature
Coordinated Universal Time; the timezone-independent timestamp standard used in system logs.
Why it matters: Without a single shared clock reference, comparing events recorded in different places becomes guesswork about which thing actually happened first.
For example, a log entry stamped 14:03 UTC refers to the same instant whether it is read in Tokyo or in California.
Heard on the show
“The simulation begins at 11:18 UTC.”Episode 260 — One Line of Lean Faked 34 Proofs, and 99 Agents Copied It