The Y2K38 Problem

On January 19, 2038, at 03:14:07 UTC, systems storing Unix timestamps as signed 32-bit integers will overflow. The value will flip to a negative number, effectively sending the system clock back to December 13, 1901.

The Architecture Fix

The solution is conceptually simple but practically daunting: upgrade all systems to use 64-bit integers for time storage. A 64-bit signed integer will not overflow for another 292 billion years, which is well past the expected lifespan of the Earth.