Earth Spinning Faster: July 9 Marks the Shortest Day Ever Recorded, Says IERS
Earth spun faster on July 9, making it the shortest day ever by 1.3–1.6 ms, due to the Moon’s position. Scientists may soon adjust global clocks.
image for illustrative purpose
In a rare astronomical event, the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS) reports that July 9, 2025, will be the shortest day ever recorded because the Earth is spinning faster than usual.
Today will be between 1.3 and 1.6 milliseconds shorter than the typical 24-hour cycle, according to experts. The current position of the Moon, along with other environmental elements including seasonal variations and natural occurrences, is the main cause of this acceleration in Earth's rotation.
More Brief Days Are Coming
Other days, such as July 22 and August 5, will also be shorter than usual, according to scientists' predictions. The global timekeeping system may eventually need to be adjusted, even if the time difference may appear insignificant at first.
This could be addressed by introducing a notion known as the "negative leap second" as early as 2029, which would be the first time such a correction has ever been made. This would guarantee synchronisation between the Earth's rotation and atomic clocks.
Knowledge from Science
University of California geophysicist Duncan Agnew described the phenomena as "unnatural" but not harmful. He underlined that although milliseconds won't interfere with day-to-day activities, their cumulative impact might force us to reconsider how we measure time on a global scale.
In order to guarantee that timekeeping systems remain accurate and that future interruptions are minimised, scientists are keeping a careful eye on changes as the Earth's spinning speed continues to fluctuate.
