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So long, 24-hour days. Astrophysicist warns the shortest day in history is weeks away.

"Earth's rotation is speeding up."

science, earth's rotation, astrophysicist, geophysicists, time, daylight, week, circadian

Earth and star rotation.

Image via Canva
Mark Wales
By Mark WalesOct 03, 2025
Mark Wales
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The planet Earth keeps time. We all synchronize our clocks to the Earth's rotation. As much as we adjust our calendars with daylight saving or throw in the occasional leap year, it's actually a little more complicated than just that.

The normal day clocks in with about 86,400 seconds. However, since 2020, many days have fallen short of that mark. Even though you haven't felt it, geophysicists have measured the Earth's pulse and discovered it's speeding up. By next summer, expect some record-breaking fast days.

satellite, Earth, spin, gravity, tides, Moon, planetary rotation Artist rendering of Earth with satellites traveling around it.Image via Canva

Why is the Earth speeding up?

The primary reason is the gravitational tidal forces exerted by the Moon. The Moon's gravity slowly pulls on the Earth, causing a slight slowing of its rotation. As the tides of the ocean are pulled, it also affects the rotation. A 2022 scientific study in AGU Advancing Earth and Space Sciences found that as the Moon slowly drifts farther away from Earth, the pull weakens, and our planet's rotation increases. Increased planetary rotation means faster spins in front of the Sun; shorter days are here to stay.

Leon Foucault, pendulum, USC, fractions, seconds, leap year, calendar Drawing of Leon Foucault with pendulum showing Earth's rotation.Image via Canva

How short a day are we talking about?

The world's timekeepers may have to update their clocks, but the necessary adjustment is minimal. In fact, we don't even notice it. Duncan Agnew, a geophysicist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego, described it to the AP in a 2024 article on Earth's rotational spin, in terms of fractions of a second. If the clock were 10:59:59, it would need to be adjusted to 11:00. That extra second adjustment is called a "leap second."

Agnew said, "It’s not a huge change in the Earth’s rotation that’s going to lead to some catastrophe or anything, but it is something notable. It’s yet another indication that we’re in a very unusual time." Agnew continued, "This is an unprecedented situation and a big deal."

neural circuit, adaptation, daylight, brain stem, brain cells, sleep patterns, stress The Earth rotates. media3.giphy.com

What does that mean for us?

In the short term, we won't notice it at all; however, future generations may experience the change. A 2022 study in Science Daily focused on the effects of seasonal variation on stress, behavior, and hormone regulation. It was found that the amount of sunlight a person receives affects their sleep patterns and overall mood. Quicker days can make for a grumpy population.
However, every human is different in the extent to which these changes can affect their lives. A 2024 study at Harvard Medical School (HMS) specifically studied the influence on brain cells and found that the amount of daylight and our ability to adapt are connected to neurons in the brain stem. Susan Dymecki, a professor of genetics at HMS, said, “Finding a neural circuit that contributes significantly to the ability to adapt to changes in the day-night cycle is exciting.” She continued, “It would be wonderful if it could help us better understand how our brains work and how we might help people synchronize to those changes.”

Watch this cool video that has over 10 million views by Neil deGrasse Tyson talking about the Earth's rotation dramatically changing here:

- YouTube www.youtube.com

The Earth is a giant cosmic clock that shapes the length of our days and the rhythm of our bodies. As the spin of the world subtly shifts a few milliseconds, don't be surprised if your mood slowly changes. We are connected to more than just our communities. We are connected to the rhythms of the planet.

astrophysicistgeophysicistsleap yearneil degrasse tysonsatellitestime synchronizationdaylight savingsciencetimeclockleap secondsleep patternsmental healthearth's rotation

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