If time feels like it's slipping faster this year, it might not be your imagination. Scientists say Earth’s rotation is speeding up again—and the changes could soon be reflected in how we count time.
Milliseconds Matter in July and August
According to a report from timeanddate.com, July 9, July 22, and August 5 are expected to be the shortest days of 2025. The difference may be tiny—measured in milliseconds—but it’s enough to catch the attention of experts. On August 5, for instance, Earth’s rotation may be 1.51 milliseconds quicker than average.
Although Earth usually rotates just over 365 times a year, it hasn’t always been this way. In the distant past, our planet spun more slowly. Calculations show that a year once had up to 490 days, eventually reducing to 372 before stabilising at today’s pace.
What's Causing the Speed-Up?
Scientists aren’t entirely sure what’s causing this recent acceleration, but several theories are being explored. Movements deep within Earth’s core could be playing a part. Mass redistribution from melting glaciers is another possibility. El Niño and La Niña patterns, which shift global mass, are also in the frame.
Interestingly, the Moon may have a role too. During the predicted shortest days, it will be at its farthest point from Earth’s equator. This distance could be influencing Earth’s rotational speed, though more research is needed to confirm the link.
Leonid Zotov of Moscow State University told timeanddate.com, “Nobody expected this. Most scientists believe it is something inside the Earth. Ocean and atmospheric models don’t explain this huge acceleration.”
Timekeeping May Soon Need a Reset
Judah Levine, a physicist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, told Discover Magazine in 2021 that scientists once thought Earth’s spin would keep slowing. “The assumption was leap seconds would be needed forever,” he said. “This result is very surprising.”
Now, with Earth spinning faster, scientists may need to subtract a leap second from global clocks—a first in human history. If trends continue, this adjustment could happen as early as 2029.
As our planet’s inner workings quietly adjust, experts remain watchful. The changes may be slight, but their impact on global timekeeping is already ticking closer.
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