Future Earth Days May Last 25 Hours Due to Slowing Rotation
Scientists predict when days will last 25 hours as 'Earth slows down'
Mirror
Image: Mirror
Scientists predict that in about 200 million years, a day on Earth could last 25 hours due to the planet's gradual slowing rotation, influenced by the Moon's gravitational pull and climate change. This change, while small, has significant long-term implications for Earth's timekeeping.
- 01Earth's rotation is slowing down due to gravitational interactions with the Moon.
- 02Currently, the length of a day is about 23 hours and 56 minutes.
- 03The Earth is moving approximately 3.8 cm further from the Moon each year.
- 04The length of a day increases by about 2.3 milliseconds every century.
- 05In 200 million years, a day could extend to 25 hours if current trends continue.
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Scientists have determined that Earth's rotation is gradually slowing, primarily due to gravitational interactions with the Moon. Currently, a day lasts about 23 hours and 56 minutes, but this could extend to 25 hours in approximately 200 million years. The slowing is attributed to the friction caused by tidal forces, which also causes the Moon to drift away from Earth by about 3.8 cm annually. Although the increase in day length is just 2.3 milliseconds per century, it accumulates over time, potentially resulting in a significant time discrepancy by the end of the millennium. Factors such as climate change and the redistribution of Earth's mass also contribute to this slowing. NASA's Surendra Adhikari notes that human-induced climate changes have begun to affect the planet's rotational dynamics, marking a notable shift since 2000. This highlights the interconnectedness of Earth's systems and the long-term consequences of climate change.
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