2024-04-27 16:17:57
A study carried out by researchers at the Technical University of Munich (UTM) suggests that we could have 25-hour days in the future.
This innovative forecast is based on the analysis of the gradual slowdown in the rotation of planet Earth, a phenomenon that has been the subject of study for years and that determines the length of days and nights on our planet.
According to scientists, the Earth has experienced a slowdown in its rotation throughout its history, influenced by various factors such as the Moon’s gravity, ocean tides and atmospheric circulation.
Although these alterations are almost imperceptible to us in our daily lives, they have left their mark on the geological history of the planet. 1.4 billion years ago, for example, an Earth day barely lasted 18 hours and 41 minutes, while in the era of the dinosaurs it lasted 23 hours.
The UTM study has managed to measure the Earth’s rotation speed with unprecedented precision, using an optical ring laser interferometer. This advanced instrument makes it possible to detect variations in the Earth’s rotation speed with a resolution of a few milliseconds.
The research results indicate that the Earth’s rotation speed is gradually decreasing at a rate of approximately 1.7 milliseconds per century. This phenomenon, mainly attributed to factors such as tidal friction and seismic activity, could eventually lead to Earth’s days being extended to 25 hours.
When would that change come?
However, this change will not happen anytime soon; The study estimates that this historic change in the length of days could take place within about 200 million years.
The ring laser gyroscope used in the research has been key to improving the precision in measuring the Earth’s rotation. This instrument, located at the Wetzell Geodetic Observatory, has allowed scientists to detect changes in the Earth’s rotation speed of just 6 milliseconds every two weeks, providing new insight into the dynamics of our planet.
Despite the temporal remoteness of this change, it raises fascinating questions about the future of humanity and the shape of the planet. How will this lengthening of days affect our daily activities? What impact will it have on ecosystems and life in general? These are questions that might deserve more attention as we move toward a future in which the days will be a little longer.
This exciting study reminds us of the astonishing complexity and dynamics of our planet, as well as the continued need to explore and understand the processes that shape it.
It is important to note that any significant change in the length of the day on Earth would have important implications for the climate, ecosystems and life in general, and would therefore be the subject of intense scientific study and monitoring by the scientific community.
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