As the world prepares to turn off its lights for Earth Hour, scientists have made an unexpected announcement about the planet’s rotation speed. For the first time in history, world timekeepers may need to subtract a second from our clocks in the coming years due to the Earth rotating slightly faster than it has in the past.
This phenomenon, known as a “negative leap second,” is projected to occur around 2029, as indicated by a study published in the journal Nature. The lead author of the study, Duncan Agnew, emphasized the significance of this development, stating that while it may not lead to any catastrophic events, it is certainly noteworthy given the unusual nature of the current situation.
Scientists attribute the Earth’s increased speed to the melting of ice at both poles, which has partially offset the planet’s acceleration. This delay in the negative leap second has pushed the projected date to around 2029. Dennis McCarthy, a retired director of time for the U.S. Naval Observatory, further supported
