How Earth’s rotation is making today feel like the shortest day ever
Something is ‘pulsing’ beneath the Earth, scientists say – and could tear a continent apart
Earth's rotation has recently accelerated, making some summer days fractionally shorter by milliseconds.
This phenomenon, though unnoticeable in daily life, significantly impacts high-precision timekeeping systems like atomic clocks and GPS.
Scientists at the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service suggest the acceleration is due to a subtle shift in the Moon's orbital alignment, reducing “tidal braking”.
However, other experts, such as Moscow State University astronomer Leonid Zotov, state the cause remains unexplained, possibly originating from within the Earth.
The International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service is considering implementing a “negative leap second” for the first time, potentially around 2029, to resynchronize global time.