
Shorter days ahead? On THESE three days, Earth is predicted to rotate faster — Here's why
The reduction in day length will be very little, measured in milliseconds. For instance, August 5 is expected to be approximately 1.51 milliseconds shorter than the average.
The Earth rotates 365 times on its axis, determining the number of days in a year. However, this has not always been the case, various calculations indicate that Earth's orbital period in the past has varied from approximately 490 to 372 days, the report said.
There are many factors that could be attributed to Earth's faster movement. According to scientists, Earth's core is impacting the rotation. The redistribution of mass caused by melting glaciers may also influence the process.
Another factor that could possibly influence Earth's rotation is El Niño and La Niña, which impact global temperatures. The moon might also be a factor. According to Timeanddate.com, the Moon will be near its maximum distance from Earth's equator on the three possible dates in 2025 when the day length (LOD) is shortest.
Judah Levine, a physicist from the National Institute of Standards and Technology's time and frequency division, shared with 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,' Levine said.
The faster rotation could necessitate changes in global timekeeping, possibly resulting in the subtraction of a leap second for the first time in 2029.
'Nobody expected this,' Leonid Zotov, a senior researcher at Moscow State University told timeanddate.com. 'The cause of this acceleration is not explained. Most scientists believe it is something inside the Earth. Ocean and atmospheric models don't explain this huge acceleration," Zotov added.
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India.com
a day ago
- India.com
Earth's rotation is changing its speed! Days to become shorter by...., these days in July, August to be most affected; they are...
The planet Earth is unique. The Earth ' s rotation creates the cycle of day and night. However, scientists have found the Earth is now rotating faster than normal , resulting in days becoming shorter by a few milliseconds. While these losses may seem small , there are significant ramifications for global timekeeping systems. Generally , leap seconds are added to atomic clocks to take account of the Earth ' s gradually slowing rotation. However , continuing on the path of faster rotational period of the Earth and accelerating , experts project that by 2029, we may need to remove a leap second for the first time ever . This information may be a monumental factor in aligning human-made timekeeping systems with the function of the planet . This shows that time can be influenced by the subtle dynamism of Earth . The Earth spins on its axis about every 86,400 seconds to make what we call a day. That length of time is by no means perfectly constant. The Earth ' s spin is affected by many natural factors — gravitational forces from the Moon and Sun or changes in the geophysics within the Earth itself — which create small variations in time . Historically, and now , the Earth is gradually slowing down its rotation . During the time of the dinosaurs, the Earth spun so fast that one day lasted only about 23 hours. By the time of the bronze age , a day had become just slightly longer — still about half a second shorter than today ! Theoretically , scientists believe the Earth will eventually reach 25-hour days — but it is expected to take another 200 million years. Since 2020, Earth has been spinning at a faster speed, a phenomenon that has amazed scientists. The International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS) in Washington, D.C., has noted that this acceleration has been steady, resulting in slightly shorter days by just a few milliseconds. If this occurs , experts have said that we would need to remove a leap second from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) sometime by 2029 , something that we ' ll do for the first time in history . A leap second is a one-second modification that is sometimes used with atomic clocks , whenever there is a change in Earth ' s irregular rotation. Until recently , leap seconds have only been added, since the motion of Earth has decreased , meaning that they have always been long enough to put in a leap second . With Earth now rotating at an increased speed , scientists are also going to have to remove a second from atomic time to accommodate the speed in which Earth ' s rotational speed is happening . This marks the first time in history that removing a second would be a requirement , and it shows how timekeeping has to conform to the imperceptible , dynamic adjustments of the spinning body of the planet's rotation . As reported by this trend of shorter days will likely continue until at least 2025. Scientists have also calculated three specific dates when Earth's rotation will be the rapid : July 9, 2025 July 22, 2025 August 5, 2025 Also , so USA Today reported , on August 5th , a day may be as much as 1.51 milliseconds shorter than 24 hours. Humans might not be able to perceive this change , but in scientific terms , this matters greatly , and timekeeping systems need to be accurate .


The Hindu
2 days ago
- The Hindu
Exciting to see Earth from vantage point of ISS: Shubhanshu Shukla
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Indian Express
2 days ago
- Indian Express
Daily subject-wise quiz : Environment and Geography MCQs on Indian Ocean Dipole, Green Credit Programme and more (Week 117)
UPSC Essentials brings to you its initiative of subject-wise quizzes. These quizzes are designed to help you revise some of the most important topics from the static part of the syllabus. Attempt today's subject quiz on Environment and Geography to check your progress. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for June 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at With reference to the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), consider the following statements: 1. It is the difference in sea surface temperatures (SSTs) between the eastern and western regions of the Indian Ocean. 2. It has only two phases, i.e positive and negative and does not have a neutral phase. 3. A negative IOD leads to more rainfall. How many of the statements given above are correct? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All three (d) None Explanation — The southwest monsoon is influenced by two factors: El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Indian Ocean Dipole. ENSO is a climate phenomena that affects sea temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, as well as atmospheric oscillations. It has three phases: El Niño, La Niña, and neutral. El Niño reduces the monsoon, whereas La Niña and neutral result in heavier and normal rainfall. In June, ENSO was in its neutral phase. — IOD, or the differential in sea surface temperatures (SSTs) between the eastern and western areas of the Indian Ocean, has three phases: positive, negative, and neutral. A positive IOD results in more rainfall, whilst a negative phase results in less rainfall. A neutral IOD has minimal influence. In June, IOD was in a neutral state. Hence, statement 1 is correct and statements 2 and 3 are not correct. Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer. With reference to the glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), consider the following statements: 1. These are sudden and catastrophic floods caused by the failure of natural dams, usually formed by glacial moraines or ice. 2. Thawing of permafrost decreases the risk of GLOFs. 3. Melting of glaciers increases the risk of GLOFs. How many of the statements given above are correct? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All three (d) None Explanation — Glacier melting and permafrost thaw also increase the risk of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs). Hence, statement 2 is not correct and statement 3 is correct. — GLOFs are sudden and catastrophic floods caused by the failure of natural dams, usually formed by glacial moraines or ice, which contain glacial lakes. Hence, statement 1 is correct. — The report 'The United Nations World Water Development Report 2025 – Mountains and glaciers: Water towers' noted that these floods 'alone have resulted in more than 12,000 deaths in the past 200 years, and have caused severe damage to farmland, homes, bridges, roads, hydropower plants… often prompting further internal displacement'. Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer. The Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) refers to: (a) a moving system of wind, cloud and pressure that brings rain as it circles around the equator (b) a periodic fluctuation in sea surface temperatures and atmospheric pressure across the central and eastern Pacific Ocean. (c) a regular variation of the winds in the tropical stratosphere between easterlies and westerlies. (d) a weather phenomenon in the North Atlantic Ocean characterised by fluctuations in the difference of atmospheric pressure between the Icelandic Low and the Azores High. Explanation — The southwest monsoon blanketed the entire country on June 29, nine days earlier than its customary date of July 8. Since 1960, this was only the tenth time the monsoon had completed its national coverage in June. — This year, the monsoon arrived early as well. It landed in Kerala on May 24, eight days before the scheduled date of June 1. This occurred for a variety of reasons, including the active phase of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), a moving system of wind, clouds, and pressure that brings rain as it circles the equator around mid-May. — After the onset, the monsoon progress largely remained ahead of its normal schedule over south peninsular, east and northeast India, and near normal over the northwest. However, it was slightly delayed over the central India region. Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer. With reference to the Albedo effect, consider the following statements: 1. It is the fraction of light that a surface reflects. 2. If it is all reflected, the albedo is equal to 0. 3. Dark colours show higher albedo than the light or pale colours. How many of the statements given above are correct? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All three (d) None Explanation — The primary cause of increased heat in the Arctic is known as the albedo effect. The Arctic ice cover is melting, exposing more land and water to the sun. Ice traps the least amount of heat and reflects the majority of solar light back. Darker surfaces, such as land or water, absorb solar radiation more efficiently, resulting in greater warmth. Antarctica experiences less ice sheet melting, resulting in less dramatic warming than the Arctic. — Albedo is the percentage of light that a surface reflects. If everything is reflected, the albedo equals one. If 30% is reflected, the albedo is 0.3. The albedo of the Earth's surface (atmosphere, ocean, and land) affects how much incoming solar energy, or light, is promptly reflected back into space. This could have an impact on the climate. Hence, statement 1 is correct and statement 2 is not correct. — Albedo refers to how much energy a surface reflects. Dark colours have an albedo near 0, indicating that little or no energy is reflected. Pale colours have an albedo close to 100%, which means that almost all of the energy is reflected. Hence, statement 3 is not correct. Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer. (Other Source: Which of the following terms refers to the growing tendency of companies, organisations or even countries to make dubious or unverifiable claims about their activities, products or services being environment-friendly or climate-friendly? (a) Sustainability theatre (b) Greenwashing (c) Bluewashing (d) Greenhushing Explanation What is greenwashing? — Although greenwashing as a term has been used in the limited context of advertising in these guidelines, it has a much broader scope. Greenwashing refers to the growing tendency of companies, organisations or even countries to make dubious or unverifiable claims about their activities, products or services being environment-friendly or climate-friendly. Due to heightened sensitivity to climate change, there is rising pressure on corporations and governments to carry out their activities in a way that causes the least damage to the environment. Many of them also have legal commitments, or targets, to adhere to in this regard. Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer. With reference to Forest Rights Act, 2006, consider the following statements: 1. It recognizes the rights of the forest dwelling tribal communities and other traditional forest dwellers to forest resources, on which these communities were dependent for a variety of needs, including livelihood, habitation and other socio-cultural needs. 2. The Gram Sabha is a highly empowered body under the Act, enabling the tribal population to have a decisive say in the determination of local policies and schemes impacting them. 3. It protects forest dwellers from unlawful evictions and also provides for basic development facilities for the community of forest dwellers to access facilities of education, health, nutrition, infrastructure etc. but limits the forest dwellers to access and use the forest resources to protect, conserve and manage forests. Which of the above given statements is/are correct? (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 1 and 3 only (c) 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Explanation — Underlining that forest-dwelling communities were protected from unlawful eviction under the Forest Protection Act, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has directed the states to create an institutional mechanism to ensure compliance with the law and set up a mechanism to address grievances, it is learnt. — The Ministry has asked the state tribal development and forest departments for a report detailing the name and number of villages situated in tiger reserves; the tribes and forest-dwelling communities in such villages; and all the forest rights claims received, vested, and rejected. It has also sought to know the process of seeking consent and the likely compensation. — 'The provisions under FRA explicitly empower forest-dwelling communities by legally recognising their rights, protecting them from unlawful eviction, and ensuring that any resettlement is carried out with their informed consent and participation,' the Ministry is learnt to have said. According to — 'The Act further enjoins upon the Gram Sabha and rights holders the responsibility of conservation and protection of bio-diversity, wildlife, forests, adjoining catchment areas, water sources and other ecologically sensitive areas as well as to stop any destructive practices affecting these resources or cultural and natural heritage of the tribals. The Gram Sabha is also a highly empowered body under the Act, enabling the tribal population to have a decisive say in the determination of local policies and schemes impacting them. — Thus, the Act empowers the forest dwellers to access and use the forest resources in the manner that they were traditionally accustomed, to protect, conserve and manage forests, protect forest dwellers from unlawful evictions and also provides for basic development facilities for the community of forest dwellers to access facilities of education, health, nutrition, infrastructure etc.' Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer. Which of the following states is implementing three externally aided projects to ensure the protection of forests and the livelihood of forest dwellers? (a) Arunachal Pradesh (b) Nagaland (c) Goa (d) Tripura Explanation — Tripura's Forest and Environment Minister, Animesh Debbarma, announced that the state government is implementing three externally funded programs to safeguard forests and ensure the livelihoods of forest inhabitants. — The first project was supported by the Japanese government through the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the second by the Federal Republic of Germany through the KfW bank, and the third by the World Bank for Rs 1,764.94 crore, he added. — 'The projects aimed to generate employment for youths and women through the promotion of forest-based entrepreneurship,' Debbarma said while launching the 76th state-level Vanmahotsava at the Behalabari School playground in Khowai district. Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer. Consider the following statements with reference to Green Credit Programme (GCP): 1. Non-government organisations selected by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change will be the implementing agencies (IA) for tree plantation based Green Credit Programme. 2. Industries, companies, non-government organizations, philanthropists, and individuals are encouraged to participate in the Green Credit Programme. Which of the above given statements is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Explanation — The Green Credit Programme (GCP) rolled out by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in 2023 was flagged by the Ministry of Law and Justice before its rollout, over legality of the business model built into it. — The ambitious government scheme seeks to invite voluntary participation in sectors ranging from plantations to water conservation in exchange of tradable credits. According to — 'Forest Departments/Forest Development Corporations of States and UTs will be the Implementing agency (IA) for tree plantation based Green Credit Programme. IA is responsible for identifying the suitable plantation blocks and further carrying out the plantation activities on the land selected by the entities.' Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer. Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 115) Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 117) Daily subject-wise quiz — Science and Technology (Week 117) Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 117) Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 116) Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 116) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X.