tech
May 3, 2026
Will days have 25 hours? NASA confirms phenomenon that would affect the length of days and your routine
What seems like an absolute certainty, that a day lasts 24 hours, is actually changing, although while you work, are on public transport...
TL;DR
- The duration of a day is not constant and is currently increasing due to Earth's slowing rotation.
- The Moon's gravitational pull has historically been the primary cause of this slowdown.
- Climate change, including glacial melt and water redistribution, is now accelerating the lengthening of days.
- Large-scale human interventions, like the Three Gorges Dam, can also slightly alter Earth's mass distribution and rotation.
- Major earthquakes can temporarily speed up Earth's rotation, shortening the day.
- While the trend is towards slower rotation, 25-hour days are projected to occur in approximately 200 million years.
- These subtle changes necessitate recalibration of global technological systems such as GPS and telecommunications.