The area covered by older and thicker sea ice in the Arctic diminished by almost 50 % between 1980 and 2012|NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
New research reveals that human-induced climate change is not just raising sea levels; it is also altering Earth’s rotation and lengthening each day, a consequence of melting polar ice accelerating due to global warming.
Melting ice redistributes mass, altering Earth’s shape and affecting its rotation.
Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the study shows these changes, though small—measured in milliseconds—affect crucial systems like GPS.
Historically, lunar influence has shaped day length, but now, as glaciers melt and redistribute mass, Earth’s rotation slows. Projected impacts suggest a potential 2.62 milliseconds increase per century by 2100, surpassing natural lunar effects.
It underscores climate change’s profound impact on Earth’s dynamics, emphasizing the urgency for emissions reduction.
The findings highlight a significant shift in Earth’s orientation due to human activities, impacting not only natural systems but also essential technological infrastructures.