Global warming slows Earth's rotation, impacts precision tech

Scientists from Switzerland examined the length of the day in the context of global warming. In their opinion, the rising temperature of the Earth affects the lengthening of the day. So far, it's a small difference, but the conclusion of the study is alarming.

Global warming is not just about fires or melting glaciers. Scientists from all over the world are constantly studying the impact of the climate crisis on various aspects of life. Their task is to check the real effects of the Earth's elevated temperature. They assume that humanity is not aware of the seriousness of the situation.

Scientists from ETH Zurich in Switzerland looked into the impact of the climate crisis on the length of the day. In their opinion, elevated temperature lengthens the day, which could have serious consequences for the functioning of GPS systems, the internet, and banking. All these areas rely on precise time measurement. Currently, the change amounts to a few milliseconds, but for transfers, this could already mean sending money the next day.

"The Guardian" explains: "The length of the day on Earth is constantly increasing over geological time due to the gravitational drag of the Moon on the planet's oceans and lands. However, the melting of the ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica caused by human-induced global warming is transferring water stored at high latitudes to the world's oceans, leading to more water in seas closer to the equator. This makes the Earth more flattened—or more oblate—slowing the planet's rotation and further lengthening the day. The global impact of humanity has also recently been demonstrated by studies showing that water redistribution has shifted the Earth's rotation axis—the north and south poles. Other studies have shown that carbon emissions caused by humanity are shrinking the stratosphere."

Professor Benedikt Soja from ETH Zurich in Switzerland said in an interview with "The Guardian": "We can see our impact as humans on the entire Earth system, not just locally, like the temperature increase, but really fundamentally, changing how it moves through space and rotates. Due to our carbon emissions, we have achieved this in just 100 or 200 years. While previously governing processes took billions of years, that is striking. All data centres that support the Internet, communication, and financial transactions rely on precise time measurement. We also need precise knowledge of time for navigation, especially for satellites and spacecraft."

The scientists' research was published in the "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA". They used observations and computer reconstructions for their measurements to examine the impact of ice melt on the length of the day. The researchers said: "The current pace is probably higher than ever in the last few thousand years. It's predicted to stay at about 1.0 milliseconds per century for the next few decades, even if greenhouse gas emissions are significantly reduced."

Doctor Santiago Belda from the University of Alicante in Spain, who was not part of the research team, said in an interview with "The Guardian": "This study is a major advance because it confirms that the alarming loss of ice experienced by Greenland and Antarctica has a direct impact on the length of the day, causing it to lengthen. This change in the length of the day has critical implications for how we measure time and GPS and other technologies that govern our modern lives."