Imagine a world where time itself is at risk of being disrupted. Earth’s changing spin is causing clocks, computers, and our entire society to potentially skip a beat — quite literally, by a single second.
A recent study published in the journal Nature has revealed that due to the planet rotating slightly faster than before, we may need to subtract a second from our clocks around 2029. This “negative leap second” could be a momentous event in our history, signaling the unique times we are living in.
According to lead author Duncan Agnew, a geophysicist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, this situation is unprecedented and remarkable. While it won’t lead to any catastrophic events, it serves as a reminder of the peculiar era we find ourselves in.
The Earth’s rotation has been gradually slowing down over the centuries, mainly due to tidal effects caused by the moon. However, with the adoption of atomic clocks as the official time standard, a discrepancy between astronomical and atomic time arose, leading to the introduction of leap seconds to keep them in sync.
But now, the situation has reversed, with the Earth actually speeding up. This unexpected phenomenon is attributed to the complex dynamics of the planet’s hot liquid core, along with the melting of ice at the poles, which is redistributing Earth’s mass and affecting its rotation.
The looming negative leap second poses a challenge for timekeepers and technology experts, as the leap seconds added in the past have already caused disruptions to computer systems. However, with advancements in technology and coordinated efforts among global timekeepers, solutions are being devised to address this upcoming adjustment.
As we navigate these intricate issues surrounding timekeeping and Earth’s changing spin, one thing is certain: we are in a period of significant transition and innovation, where even a fleeting second can have lasting implications on our interconnected world.