While we still grapple with the consequences of climate change, nature surprises us again – this time with the Earth's speeding up. The Earth is spinning faster! While it sounds like a scene from a science fiction movie, it's a very real phenomenon that could have a significant impact on life as we know it.
The Earth is spinning faster! In July 2024, Earth ticked off the shortest day since we've been recording atomic time - it was 1.66 milliseconds shorter than the usual 24 hours. August 2025 The trend continued: this time the day shortened by 1.25 milliseconds. Scientists warn that these are not isolated cases, but may be harbingers of larger changes.
What is happening to the Earth?
There are many reasons: from the gravitational influence of the Moon to tectonic shifts, melting glaciers, the movement of the planet's molten interior, and even weather phenomena like El Niño. The planet is clearly not sure whether to rest - or shift into a higher gear.
What does faster rotation mean? More than just a lost minute.
At first glance, shortening the day by a few milliseconds may seem insignificant. However, experts warn: the consequences could be serious.
As the speed of rotation increases, centrifugal force increases, causing ocean redistribution—water begins to move from the poles toward the equator. Just a one-mile-per-hour increase in speed could raise sea levels in tropical regions by several inches. Not the best news for coastal metropolises already struggling with rising sea levels.
In an extreme scenario, if the Earth were to spin 100 miles per hour faster, some areas around the equator would simply disappear beneath the surface. And no, this is not a continuation of the Atlantis story.
Biological rhythm on the test
No, we won't just lose a few hours of sleep – but if the day were shortened to 22 hours (a scenario that scientists are already seriously studying), our internal biological rhythm would suffer a shock.
Studies already show that changing the clocks due to daylight saving time increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and traffic accidents. What if such a shift were to become permanent…
Our circadian rhythm – the internal biological clock that regulates sleep, hormones and mood – would literally lose its bearings. Add in increasingly extreme weather events and we have a catastrophe – if not in slow motion, then in very fast motion.
Faster rotation = stronger hurricanes? Unfortunately, yes.
According to NASA astronomer Dr. Sten Odenwald, the increased speed of Earth's rotation would intensify the Coriolis effect - which causes storms to spin. The result? Hurricanes would become faster, more intense and even more destructive.
Nature is apparently preparing a new version of the “Fast & Furious” weather package.
Everything is measured with atomic precision
How do we know that the days are getting shorter? Thanks to the atomic clock – a brilliant invention from 1949 that measures the oscillations of atoms in a vacuum and determines universal time (UTC). This allows us to detect even millisecond deviations from the standard day, which lasts exactly 86,400 seconds.
Astrophysicist Graham Jones from London predicts that similarly short days could reappear as early as July 9, 22, and August 5, 2025. So if you feel like the days are slipping away from you – you may not be far from the truth.
What drives the Earth? The Earth is spinning faster!
The Earth's rotation is not constant. It is affected by earthquakes, ocean movements, changes in the atmosphere, and, apparently, by the movement of the Earth's interior. Scientists are still collecting data and building models, but the message is clear: even the smallest changes in speed can trigger effects that go far beyond scientific theories.
What does this mean for us? The Earth is spinning faster!
Although we are not (yet) directly feeling the changes in rotation, they will have a long-term impact on climate, ecosystems, ocean currents and, last but not least, our everyday lives.
Perhaps now is the right time to realize once again how deeply connected we are to the Earth. Nature always plays by its own rules. And we – at best – try to keep up.
🌀 Are your days passing faster than they used to? Share this article with your friends and see who will be the first to blame the Earth's rotation for being late for coffee.
