Seeker | Scientists Are in a Race Against Time and Earth’s Rotation @Seeker | Uploaded June 2021 | Updated October 2024, 1 week ago.
Earth Is spinning faster than ever, and scientists are spinning their wheels to keep up.
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The year 2020 may have felt like it lasted forever, but it was actually the shortest one in decades. In fact, it was 1.3 milliseconds shorter. The planet is now spinning faster than it has any time in the last half-century, with 2020 containing 28 of the fastest days on record since 1960.
And 2021 is expected to be even faster...which has ignited a fiery debate on what to do to keep up. It may sound weird, but shifts in the planet’s spin are actually normal. Things like the pull of the moon, jet stream winds, and plate tectonics all have an effect. Just like an ice skater draws in their arms to spin faster, anything that moves mass closer to Earth’s axis speeds up the planet’s spin, making the days a few milliseconds shorter.
It doesn’t seem like much, but these subtle changes in Earth’s spin can cause major headaches for anyone trying to keep their clocks in sync.
#time #atomicclock #leapsecond #science #seeker #elements
Read More:
Do We Need A ‘Drop Second?’ The Worrying Reason Why Earth May Be Speeding Up After Decades Of Slowing Down
forbes.com/sites/jamiecartereurope/2021/01/15/do-we-need-a-drop-second-the-worrying-reason-why-earth-may-be-speeding-up-after-decades-of-slowing-down/?sh=394e09732204
"Having gotten used to adding a 'leap second' every now and then to keep their atomic clocks accurate, international timekeepers are now mulling over whether to add the first-ever 'negative leap second' or 'drop second.'"
Why is a minute divided into 60 seconds, an hour into 60 minutes, yet there are only 24 hours in a day?
scientificamerican.com/article/experts-time-division-days-hours-minutes
"Thanks to documented evidence of the Egyptians' use of sundials, most historians credit them with being the first civilization to divide the day into smaller parts."
Sunlight Changes Unequally All Year Long
scientificamerican.com/article/sunlight-changes-unequally-all-year-long
"Some days we gain one minute; some days we gain three."
____________________
Elements is more than just a science show. It’s your science-loving best friend, tasked with keeping you updated and interested in all the compelling, innovative, and groundbreaking science happening all around us. Join our passionate hosts as they help break down and present fascinating science, from quarks to quantum theory and beyond.
Seeker empowers the curious to understand the science shaping our world. We tell award-winning stories about the natural forces and groundbreaking innovations that impact our lives, our planet, and our universe.
Visit the Seeker website seeker.com/videos
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Earth Is spinning faster than ever, and scientists are spinning their wheels to keep up.
» Subscribe to Seeker! bit.ly/subscribeseeker
» Watch more Elements! bit.ly/ElementsPlaylist
» Visit our shop at shop.seeker.com
The year 2020 may have felt like it lasted forever, but it was actually the shortest one in decades. In fact, it was 1.3 milliseconds shorter. The planet is now spinning faster than it has any time in the last half-century, with 2020 containing 28 of the fastest days on record since 1960.
And 2021 is expected to be even faster...which has ignited a fiery debate on what to do to keep up. It may sound weird, but shifts in the planet’s spin are actually normal. Things like the pull of the moon, jet stream winds, and plate tectonics all have an effect. Just like an ice skater draws in their arms to spin faster, anything that moves mass closer to Earth’s axis speeds up the planet’s spin, making the days a few milliseconds shorter.
It doesn’t seem like much, but these subtle changes in Earth’s spin can cause major headaches for anyone trying to keep their clocks in sync.
#time #atomicclock #leapsecond #science #seeker #elements
Read More:
Do We Need A ‘Drop Second?’ The Worrying Reason Why Earth May Be Speeding Up After Decades Of Slowing Down
forbes.com/sites/jamiecartereurope/2021/01/15/do-we-need-a-drop-second-the-worrying-reason-why-earth-may-be-speeding-up-after-decades-of-slowing-down/?sh=394e09732204
"Having gotten used to adding a 'leap second' every now and then to keep their atomic clocks accurate, international timekeepers are now mulling over whether to add the first-ever 'negative leap second' or 'drop second.'"
Why is a minute divided into 60 seconds, an hour into 60 minutes, yet there are only 24 hours in a day?
scientificamerican.com/article/experts-time-division-days-hours-minutes
"Thanks to documented evidence of the Egyptians' use of sundials, most historians credit them with being the first civilization to divide the day into smaller parts."
Sunlight Changes Unequally All Year Long
scientificamerican.com/article/sunlight-changes-unequally-all-year-long
"Some days we gain one minute; some days we gain three."
____________________
Elements is more than just a science show. It’s your science-loving best friend, tasked with keeping you updated and interested in all the compelling, innovative, and groundbreaking science happening all around us. Join our passionate hosts as they help break down and present fascinating science, from quarks to quantum theory and beyond.
Seeker empowers the curious to understand the science shaping our world. We tell award-winning stories about the natural forces and groundbreaking innovations that impact our lives, our planet, and our universe.
Visit the Seeker website seeker.com/videos
Elements on Facebook facebook.com/SeekerElements
Subscribe now! youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=dnewschannel
Seeker on Twitter twitter.com/seeker
Seeker on Facebook facebook.com/SeekerMedia
Seeker seeker.com
