Latest news with #JudahLevine
Time of India
22-07-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Earth is spinning faster and scientists fear a Y2K-like Doomsday
Earth is spinning faster than usual this summer, raising concerns among scientists about potential disruptions to global timekeeping systems — with fears reminiscent of the Y2K scare . According to a CNN report citing data from the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service and the US Naval Observatory, July 10 was the shortest day of the year so far, clocking in 1.36 milliseconds under the standard 24 hours. More short days are expected on July 22 and August 5. The Earth's rotation isn't perfectly consistent. Factors like lunar gravitational pull, seasonal atmospheric shifts, and the motion of the planet's liquid core cause slight variations in the length of a day. While the changes are typically imperceptible in daily life, even millisecond discrepancies can affect technologies that rely on hyper-accurate timing — such as telecommunications, satellite systems, and financial networks. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Data Analytics healthcare Technology Finance Project Management Data Science Management Public Policy others Design Thinking Data Science Healthcare Leadership Artificial Intelligence Others Digital Marketing Product Management Cybersecurity PGDM Degree CXO MBA MCA Operations Management Skills you'll gain: Data Analysis & Visualization Predictive Analytics & Machine Learning Business Intelligence & Data-Driven Decision Making Analytics Strategy & Implementation Duration: 12 Weeks Indian School of Business Applied Business Analytics Starts on Jun 13, 2024 Get Details To maintain precise time, atomic clocks — which have been used since 1955 — track time to an extraordinary level of accuracy. Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), used worldwide, is based on atomic clocks. If Earth's rotation falls out of sync with UTC, leap seconds are added to bring them back into alignment — a process that's occurred 27 times since 1972. However, as Earth's spin has been accelerating, no leap second has been added since 2016. Scientists are now warning that a negative leap second — subtracting a second instead of adding one — may be required as early as 2035. 'There's never been a negative leap second,' physicist Judah Levine told CNN, but the chances of it happening are now around 40%. Such a move could wreak havoc, especially since many systems still struggle with positive leap seconds even after five decades. A negative leap second, never before implemented, could cause failures across systems that depend on stable, continuous time — evoking comparisons to the Y2K bug. Interestingly, climate change may be buying time. The CNN article, citing a study published last year by Agnew in the journal Nature, claimed that melting ice in Greenland and Antarctica is redistributing mass across the planet, subtly slowing Earth's spin and counteracting the speed-up. Live Events Benedikt Soja, an assistant professor at The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, Switzerland, told CNN that if warming continues, "the effect of climate change could surpass the effect of the moon, which has been really driving Earth's rotation for the past few billions of years.' 'I think the (faster spinning) is still within reasonable boundaries, so it could be natural in a few years, we could see again a different situation, and long term, we could see the planet slowing down again. That would be my intuition, but you never know,' Soja added.
Time of India
22-07-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Earth is spinning faster this summer: July 22 among the shortest days ever recorded, scientists warn
Source: BBC Earth's rotation is speeding up this summer, leading to slightly shorter days—a phenomenon that has captured the attention of scientists, astronomers, and global timekeepers. On July 10, 2025, Earth recorded its shortest day of the year so far, running 1.36 milliseconds shorter than the standard 24 hours. Upcoming days, including July 22 and August 5, are also predicted to be shorter by 1.34 and 1.25 milliseconds, respectively. Though these variations are imperceptible in daily life, they can have serious implications for atomic timekeeping, digital infrastructure, and even how we measure time globally. Earth is spinning faster leading to shorter days as observed on July 22 The length of a day—defined as one complete rotation of Earth on its axis—averages 86,400 seconds, or 24 hours. However, this measurement isn't perfectly fixed. Due to multiple dynamic factors, including: Gravitational pull from the Moon Atmospheric shifts Fluid motion in Earth's liquid core by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Dubai villas | search ads Get Deals Undo Each daily rotation varies by milliseconds. These irregularities typically go unnoticed by the general public but are meticulously tracked by institutions like the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS) and US Naval Observatory. Critical role of atomic clocks in managing millisecond-level shifts Minor time deviations are not trivial. They can interfere with: Satellite navigation (GPS) Telecommunications Computer systems Global financial networks That's why atomic clocks, which debuted in 1955, are used to maintain Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)—the international timekeeping standard. These clocks rely on oscillations of atoms, measured in vacuum chambers, to deliver ultra-precise readings of time. "Even millisecond differences matter in the world of high-frequency technology," says physicist Judah Levine from the National Institute of Standards and Technology. How a faster-spinning Earth could force a timekeeping first To keep UTC aligned with Earth's actual rotation, scientists have been adding "leap seconds" since 1972. This is similar to how a leap day corrects the calendar every four years. So far, 27 leap seconds have been added to account for Earth's previously slowing rotation. But as Earth begins to spin faster, the need for leap seconds is declining. No leap seconds have been added since 2016, and in 2022, the General Conference on Weights and Measures voted to retire the leap second by 2035. However, if Earth continues this acceleration, scientists warn we may have to do something unprecedented—subtract a second, creating a negative leap second. The probability of this happening by 2035 is currently estimated at 40%. What's causing Earth to spin faster Several short- and long-term forces influence Earth's rotation speed: Lunar Tidal forces The Moon's gravitational pull slows or accelerates Earth depending on its position relative to the equator. Atmospheric changes During summer, Earth naturally spins faster because the jet stream shifts, and the atmosphere slows down, transferring angular momentum to the planet. Earth's liquid core For the past 50 years, Earth's liquid core has been slowing, while the solid outer Earth accelerates to maintain rotational balance. According to Dr. Duncan Agnew of UC San Diego, 'It's like watching the stock market—there are long-term trends, but also unpredictable fluctuations.' How climate change and melting ice are altering Earth's rotation Melting ice in Antarctica and Greenland is also impacting Earth's rotation. As vast amounts of ice convert into ocean water, the mass redistribution acts like a figure skater extending their arms, slightly slowing Earth's spin. Agnew's research in Nature found that: 'Without global warming and ice melt, we might already have needed to introduce a negative leap second.' NASA confirms that meltwater from polar regions accounts for a third of global sea level rise since 1993, which also alters Earth's rotational axis. Due to the complexity of rotational factors, long-term predictions remain uncertain. The IERS only forecasts one year ahead. Levine notes that short-term changes tend to correlate day by day, but beyond that, accuracy drops sharply. 'We may see Earth slow down again in the coming years,' says Dr. Benedikt Soja, a geodesy expert at ETH Zurich. 'But if climate change worsens, its effect could eventually surpass that of the Moon—Earth's primary rotational driver for billions of years.' Also Read | NASA reports shocking vision changes in astronauts after months in space with long-term eye damage risks
Mint
03-07-2025
- Science
- Mint
Shorter days ahead? On THESE three days, Earth is predicted to rotate faster — Here's why
The rotation of the Earth is expected to accelerate in July and August, resulting in shorter days. Notably, July 9, July 22, and August 5 are predicted to be the shortest days, as reported by 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 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 '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.
NDTV
02-07-2025
- Science
- NDTV
Earth Is Predicted To Spin A Little Faster On Three Days In July And August
Earth's rotation is expected to speed up in July and August this year, resulting in shorter days. Specifically, July 9, July 22 and August 5 are predicted to be the shortest days, a new report from claimed. However, the shortening of days will be subtle, with milliseconds being the unit of measurement. For example, August 5 is predicted to be around 1.51 milliseconds shorter than average. This acceleration bucks the long-term trend of the Earth's rotation slowing down due to the Moon's gravitational pull. Notably, the Earth rotates just over 365 times on its axis, which are number of days in a year. But this was not the case always, as various calculations have suggested that the number of days it took Earth to go around the Sun in the past has ranged from around 490 to 372 days. Scientists believe several factors could contribute to this acceleration. The movements within the Earth's core could be influencing the planet's rotation. The redistribution of mass from melting glaciers might also be playing a role. El Nino and La Nina events, which redistribute mass around the globe, could also impact the Earth's rotation. 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." The faster rotation might require adjustments to global timekeeping, potentially leading to the subtraction of a leap second for the first time ever in 2029. "Nobody expected this," Leonid Zotov, expert on Earth rotation at Moscow State University, told "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." The report mentioned that 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.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
China trade outlook improves, container rates — not so much
As the July 9 deadline for the end of the China-U.S. tariff pause speeds closer, the outlook for the trans-Pacific ocean trade is less than clear. Although tariffs and other details are not known, President Donald Trump said that the U.S. has signed an agreement with China that will see a resumption of the latter's trade in rare earth minerals in exchange for the U.S. ending some countermeasures. The administration said it plans to finalize negotiations with its top 10 trade partners after July 4 and may unilaterally impose tariffs on other nations soon. A tariff reduction on Chinese goods by the U.S. on May 12 led to a rebound in China-US container volumes, but this seems to be losing momentum, SONAR data partner and shipping analyst Freightos said in an update. Carriers, possibly anticipating a more prolonged demand surge, have increased capacity on the trans-Pacific, particularly to the U.S. West Coast, which now appears out of balance with demand. While SONAR data shows loaded containers departing China for West Coast ports approaching record levels, freight rates have suffered a precipitous drop amid weeks of weakening demand. Freightos said that between late May and mid-June, rates for Asia to North America West Coast containers surged by over $3,000 per forty foot equivalent unit (FEU), or 115%, to $6,000. However, by the end of last week, a combination of demand and capacity issues caused a sharp decline in the average rate to $3,388 per FEU, which is 43% below June's peak, though still 22% higher than late May. East Coast rates saw a similar, though less dramatic, trend. They surged 80% from late May to mid-June, reaching approximately $7,200 per FEU but fell 15% to $6,116 by the end of the month. This significant drop in rates, occurring early in the typical peak season, has led carriers to consider reducing capacity. Freightos Head of Research Judah Levine in a note said that even with these tariff-driven pressures that pushed rates up sharply in June, the peaks for both lanes were at least $1,000 per FEU lower than a year ago, and may indicate overall capacity growth in the container market. Asia-Europe and Mediterranean rates both concluded June with a 25% month-on-month increase, reaching $2,969 and $4,222 respectively. Red Sea diversions initiated an earlier peak season on this lane, with port congestion and capacity shifts to the trans-Pacific contributing to rate increases in early and mid-June. However, rates on both lanes cooled by month-end, suggesting market conditions may not support upcoming July general rate increases (GRIs) by carriers. Despite this, liner plans for significant capacity reductions — unusual for peak season — could still facilitate additional rate hikes. Similar to the trans-Pacific, current rates on these lanes are substantially lower than a year ago, indicating that increased capacity is exerting downward pressure on rates, even as carriers continue to avoid the Red Sea. But other market sources say container rates out of China are even lower. 'Spot rates dropped to somewhere between $2,000 to $2,500 (depending upon carrier) and have hovered around $2,500 for two weeks now,' said consultant Jon Monroe in a LinkedIn post. 'Rates have fallen fast, space out of China's base ports is wide open, and so far, carriers haven't flexed their capacity control muscle to put the squeeze on the market.' Monroe added that carriers that recently jumped into the trans-Pacific are offering rates at or just below $2,000 to the West Coast. 'The gap between East Coast and West Coast rates has settled back to normal, at about $1,000,' Monroe said. 'Right now, everyone's just sitting tight, waiting to see what Trump decides to do with tariffs.' Find more articles by Stuart Chirls 44% fewer cancelled sailings could be [blanking] bad news for SoCal trucking US maritime chief 'not a big fan' of ocean carriers' 'approach' as agency reviews antitrust immunity Drewry: No 'lasting impact' from tariff break as ocean rates fall again With Mideast shipping on high alert, Maersk re-opens Israel port The post China trade outlook improves, container rates — not so much appeared first on FreightWaves. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
