Study Suggests Climate Change Affects Earth's Rotation

• 03 Apr 2024

Recently, new research indicated melting glaciers from climate change are slowing Earth's rotation, delaying the need for a "negative leap second."

Key Points

• Glacial Melting Impact: Accelerated melting of Greenland and Antarctica's ice sheets redistributes weight, slightly slowing Earth's rotation on its axis.
• Timekeeping Adjustments: Earth's rotation, managed by Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), has been gradually speeding up, requiring periodic addition of leap seconds to clocks worldwide.
• Delayed Leap Second: Anticipated "negative leap second" adjustment, initially planned for 2026, may be postponed until 2029 or later due to the slowing rotation caused by glacial melt.
• Potential Challenges: Implementation of negative leap second adjustment could pose challenges for computer systems unprepared for subtracting time.
• Debate and Uncertainty: While some scientists recognize the impact of glacial melting on Earth's rotation, others caution against definitive predictions, citing the unpredictable nature of the planet's rotation.