Duncan Agnew

Melting polar ice could slow the Earth’s rotation and disrupt the way we measure time

by

Over the next few years, everyone on Earth will lose a second of time, but exactly when this happens is now affected by human-induced climate change. For the first time in history, world timekeepers may have to consider subtracting a second from our clocks in a few years, as the planet spins a tad faster … Read more

Melting polar ice is slowing the Earth’s rotation, potentially affecting timekeeping

by

Global warming has slowed the Earth’s rotation slightly – and this could affect the way we measure time. A study published Wednesday shows that the melting of Arctic ice — an accelerating trend caused mainly by human-induced climate change — has caused the Earth to spin less quickly than it would otherwise. The study’s author, … Read more