Earth Is Mysteriously Moving Faster On August 5: Here's What It Means

The Earth is moving a bit faster today. We might not feel it, but our planet is experiencing a mysterious boost to its spin, which is expected to make August 5 one of the shortest days on record, according to a report by timeanddate.com.

Scientists have observed a slight acceleration in Earth's rotation since 2020, marking the first sustained period of shorter days in recent history.

The rotation was faster on July 9 and July 22 as well, and we lost roughly 1.3 and 1.4 milliseconds, respectively.

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Scientists believe that the increase in Earth's spin speed may require adding a negative leap second to maintain synchronisation with atomic clocks.

Judah Levine, a physicist in the time and frequency division of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, told Discover Magazine in 2021, "This lack of the need for leap seconds was not predicted."

"The assumption was, in fact, that Earth would continue to slow down and leap seconds would continue to be needed. And so this effect, this result, is very surprising."

Implementing a negative leap second is challenging as it may cause disruptions to global timekeeping systems. It is also required to make adjustments in computing networks and software.

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Why is Earth Spinning Faster?

The exact reasons for the acceleration are still unknown. However, experts believe that it is related to changes in the Earth's inner core or atmospheric circulation patterns.

Some reports claimed that the redistribution of mass from melting glaciers might be responsible for Earth's acceleration. El Nino and La Nina events, which redistribute mass around the globe, could also impact the Earth's rotation.

The Moon could also be responsible. According to the report by Timeanddate.com, the Moon will be around its maximum distance from Earth's equator on the three possible dates for the shortest length of day (LOD) in 2025.

"Nobody expected this," Leonid Zotov, expert on Earth rotation at Moscow State University, told Timeanddate.com. "The cause of this acceleration is not explained."

He added, "Most scientists believe it is something inside the Earth. Ocean and atmospheric models don't explain this huge acceleration."

Scientists are closely monitoring the situation to determine the best course of action.