Earth is starting to spin faster and there are very real effects
Published on Jul 20, 2025 at 6:11 AM (UTC-4)
by Ben Thompson
Last updated on Jul 20, 2025 at 6:11 AM (UTC-4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
The Earth is starting to spin faster and there are very real effects that come with that.
According to geophysics experts, the Earth’s rotation has sped up this summer.
The differences won’t be immediately apparent, but there will be differences nonetheless.
But that will have many people wondering – why is this happening?
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The Earth is starting to spin faster, and it’s making a difference
Over the billions of years that the Earth has been turning, our days have gradually been getting longer as the rotation slowed down.
Researchers found that a day would last 19 hours around 2 billion years ago.
This was explained by the moon’s closer proximity to our planet, meaning that the stronger gravitational pull caused the Earth to spin faster.
So you can imagine that it’s something of a surprise for us to learn that the Earth’s rotation is now speeding up again.
It won’t be immediately obvious to us humans, but it’s happening all the same.
On a few select days this summer, the Earth will experience shorter days – July 9, July 22, and August 5 to be specific.
How much shorter will these days be?
Between 1.3 and 1.51 milliseconds.
Out of a grand total of 86,400 seconds in a normal day, it’s not going to make a huge difference.
It’s not the first time we’ve seen a really short day, with the shortest day on record being July 5, 2024, which was 1.66 milliseconds shorter than normal.
The Earth is starting to spin faster but it’s mostly passed us all by.
What’s the scientific explanation for why this is happening?
There’s a lot of research to suggest that human activity can influence the planet’s rotation.
The movement of of ice and groundwater, influenced by climate change, has increased our days by 1.33 milliseconds per century, according to research from NASA.
Even earthquakes and changing seasons can affect the spin of the planet.
It feels like we’re always learning something new about this floating sphere we call home.
And the endless space beyond Earth holds even more secrets than that.
Beyond meeting other lifeforms, we’re getting to smell what space in fragrances.
Smelling space on a planet that’s going a little bit faster than usual, you couldn’t make this stuff up.
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Ben joined Supercar Blondie in February 2025 after being published by international organizations including LADbible, The Sun, the New York Post, and the Daily Mail. He covers supercars, rare and collectible vehicles, aviation, luxury assets, and the fascinating people behind them. His reporting has explored everything from seven-figure supercars and historic Ferrari collections to unusual aircraft adventures and extraordinary automotive discoveries from around the world. Ben has also gained first-hand insight into vehicle craftsmanship and customization, including visiting specialist workshops to see bespoke vehicles up close.
