June 29, 2022, went down in history as the shortest day in Earth observation history. Then it became clear that the fears of scientists were confirmed and the planet began to spin faster. True, only 1.59 milliseconds – imperceptible speed for a person. Of course, the phenomenon can be explained by many factors, but still, not a single scientist has yet explained the exact reason for the increase in the planet’s rotation speed.
On the web, a natural phenomenon has already been given the status of a disaster. And the most frequently mentioned consequences include tsunamis, hurricanes, and then the end of the world. Let’s understand how serious everything is and whether humanity is really in danger?
Why can the world spin faster?
In general, you need to understand that the Earth is not a perfect sphere, so its rotation cannot be called constant. It often goes astray due to both external and internal factors. For example, the effect of tides or sudden climate changes. So, one of the hypotheses has to do with the fact that the world is facing a climate crisis. As the glaciers at the Earth’s poles melt more each year, they are putting less pressure on and below the planet. Some researchers believe this changes the overall shape of the Earth’s crust to something close to a normal sphere, causing its rotational speed to increase. Just as you slow down, if you swivel in a chair, open your arms and fold them across your chest, you will accelerate back.
What is the dangerous accelerated rotation of the earth?
Fixed jet lag
The faster the earth spins, the shorter the days. With an increase in speed of 1.5 km / h, the day will be shortened by one and a half minutes. And in this case, it is unlikely that a person’s internal clock will notice the difference. But if the speed increases to 160 km / h (this is just an assumption), the day will last about 22 hours. This is very bad not only for humans, but also for animals and plants.
Strong hurricanes and earthquakes
At very high speeds, over the long millennium, the earth’s crust will also shift, flattening at the poles and swelling around the equator. “We have big earthquakes ahead of us,” Witold Fraczek, an ESRI analyst who makes geographic information systems software, told The Idealist. “The tectonic plates will move rapidly, and this will have disastrous consequences for life on Earth.”
And if the Earth’s rotation accelerates slowly, it will drag the atmosphere with it – and we may not see much difference in weather patterns. “Temperature differences will continue to be the main driver of wind,” he says. Idealist in an interview with NASA astronomer Sten Odenwald. However, extreme weather events will become even more devastating. “Hurricanes will appear faster and have more energy,” says the scientist.
Second Atlantis
The increase in Earth’s rotation rate means that water in the oceans will begin to accumulate in the equatorial region. With a 1.6 km/h increase in speed, the water level around it will rise a few inches in a few days. Accelerate at 160 km / h – the equator will begin to sink. “I think the Amazon basin in northern Australia would all be submerged, not to mention the islands in the equatorial region,” Frachek says. “I can’t say how deep it is, I’m not sure but about 9 to 19 meters.”
However, these are only the theories of scientists, perhaps never destined to be realized. And if Earth expects any global changes, they will happen in a few billion years.
Source: People Talk
I’m Roger Gritton, and I’ve been writing for the The Fashion Vibes for over 5 years now. My specialty is beauty news; I’m passionate about covering the latest trends, products, and innovations in the industry. In my time there, I’ve become known as an authority on all things beauty-related.
I love discovering new experts to interview, researching up-and-coming ingredients and techniques that are making their way onto our beauty shelves and highlighting people who are making a difference in the world of cosmetics. My work has appeared not only on The Fashion Vibes, but also several other publications including the New York Times Magazine, Allure Magazine and Refinery29.
