This was reported by the International World Rotation Service (IERS). The previous record was broken by the organization on July 19, 2020, when the day was 1.47 milliseconds shorter than the normal 24-hour day.

The shortest period of modernity

It was June 29, 2022 shortest day Since the invention of the atomic clock. Despite the record number in modern history, researchers note that Earth once had much shorter days.

Specifically, more than 70 million years ago, when dinosaurs were still roaming the planet, one day on Earth was about 23 and a half clock One 2020 study found this. Since 1820, scientists have recorded that the Earth’s rotation has slowed, according to NASA.

What is known about the atomic clock

An atomic clock is a standardized device for measuring time that uses the frequency of electronic transitions between energy levels in atoms as a standard. This frequency is so stable that the atomic clock can measure time more accurately than astronomical methods. The device was invented in the 50s of the last century.

Earth’s rotation is accelerating

Dennis McCarthy, former head of the Naval Observatory’s Weather Service, has said this over the past few years. The world started to speed up. Researchers don’t have a final logical answer as to why this happens, but they relate the acceleration of the Earth’s motion to that of the Earth. melting of glaciers.

The thing is, the Earth is slightly larger in width than in height, making it a kind of “flattened spheroid”. Glaciers put pressure on the earth’s crust at the North and South Poles. As the glaciers melt, the pressure in the upper and lower parts of the planet decreases, which lifts the crust and makes the world rounder.

By the way, during the “rolling” of the Earth, its mass is concentrated closer to the center, which means Increases spin speed Planets This phenomenon is compared to how skaters increase their speed – they accelerate by pressing their arms against their bodies because their body mass becomes closer to the center of gravity.

Let’s add that since scientists began to measure the Earth’s rotation speed with the help of an atomic clock, its slowdown has been recorded. Then the scientific community added an extra second to the clock. According to EarthSky, since 1972 total of 27 seconds added. But now that the planet is spinning faster, an extra second has to be removed to keep up with real time.

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