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Even with the gradual reduction in the planet’s rotation over billions of years, experts state that the impact does not alter human routine nor modify the practical duration of the day
The idea that days on Earth could become 25 hours long might seem plausible at first glance. However, science shows that this possibility is far from reality. This information was released by studies from the National Observatory (ON), which monitor the evolution of Earth’s rotation with extreme precision.
Since the planet’s formation, Earth has been gradually slowing its rotation. Even so, this change occurs at such a slow pace that it does not cause any perceptible impact on the daily lives of the population.
Currently, a day is considered to have 24 hours. However, technically, the exact time it takes for Earth to complete one rotation is 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4 seconds. In other words, the 24-hour value is already a rounding adopted by convention.
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Earth’s Rotation Was Much Faster in the Past
Throughout the planet’s history, the rotation speed has undergone significant changes. According to Dr. Fernando Roig, a researcher at the National Observatory, about 4.5 billion years ago, Earth rotated much faster.
During that period, a day could last between 5 and 10 hours. In other words, the planet completed one rotation in less than half the current time.
Furthermore, approximately 600 million years ago, the duration of a day was about 21 hours. This shows that the deceleration of Earth’s rotation is a continuous and long-scale process.
Even so, these changes occur extremely slowly. Therefore, the duration of the day remains practically stable over human generations.
Technology Detects Minimal Changes in Day Duration
Although imperceptible to people, variations in Earth’s rotation can be measured with high precision. For this, scientists use advanced technologies, such as atomic clocks.
These devices can detect changes of just milliseconds in the duration of the day. In other words, even extremely small changes are already monitored by science.
However, these variations do not have a practical impact on people’s routines. The time measurement system continues to be based on the 24-hour standard, without the need for frequent adjustments.
What causes the slowdown of the Earth?
The main cause of the Earth’s rotational slowdown lies in the gravitational interaction between the Earth and the Moon. This phenomenon, known as “tidal braking,” occurs because the gravitational force of the satellite directly influences the planet’s movement.
In addition to this main factor, other events can also temporarily alter the rotational speed. Among them, the following stand out:
- Melting glaciers
- Seasonal variations
- Major earthquakes
- Movement of the Earth’s core
- Oscillation of the geographic poles
- Mass displacements in the oceans and atmosphere
- Large-scale climate changes
These factors, however, only cause temporary changes. That is, they do not permanently interfere with the length of the day.
Why will we not have 25-hour days?
In practice, the Earth’s slowdown is a real phenomenon, but it occurs on a gigantic timescale. We are talking about a process that takes hundreds of millions of years to generate significant changes.
Therefore, even with the rotation becoming slower, there is no risk of days having 25 hours in the near future.
Thus, science reinforces that the current length of the day will remain practically the same for a long time. The impact of this phenomenon remains confined to the field of scientific research.
Have you ever imagined what it would be like to live on a planet where the day lasted only 10 hours?
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