Some space scientists claim that Earth's rotation is becoming slower. If you have already watched "The Core" and other sci-fi movies, then you already know that those titles showed that the planet would suffer from various natural disasters if it slows or stops rotating.  

Space Scientists Says Earth's Rotation Mysteriously Slows Down: Earthquakes To Blame?
(Photo : Photo by Alexander Gerst / ESA via Getty Images)
In this handout photo provided by the European Space Agency (ESA) on July 17, 2014, German ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst took this image of the Earth reflecting light from the sun whilst aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Gerst returned to earth on November 10, 2014 after spending six months on the International Space Station completing an extensive scientific programme, known as the 'Blue Dot' mission.

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A planet's rotation is an important activity since it allows the heavenly body to maintain its current state. However, there are some chances that a planet's rotation would stop, especially if some heavy activities are in the core. 

Once this happens, NASA explained that some lands and bodies of water would change across the globe, which could really affect humanity in the long run. 

"Anything that moves mass closer to the Earth's axis speeds its rotation up, and moving mass away from the axis slows it down," said Richard Gross, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory expert. 

Space Scientists Claim Earth's Rotation Becomes Slower? 

According to Express UK's latest report, space scientists currently use the so-called atomic clocks, which allow them to set the UTC (Universal Coordinated Time). 

Space Scientists Says Earth's Rotation Mysteriously Slows Down: Earthquakes To Blame?

(Photo : Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)
A member of staff stands beneath British artist Luke Jerram's installation 'Gaia', a 7 meter replica of planet Earth, suspended in the nave of Ely Cathedral in Ely, Cambridgeshire, on June 30, 2021. - - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY MENTION OF THE ARTIST UPON PUBLICATION - TO ILLUSTRATE THE EVENT AS SPECIFIED IN THE CAPTION (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY MENTION OF THE ARTIST UPON PUBLICATION

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Thanks to these efficient clocks, various experts can measure the accurate time of Earth through the movement of atoms' electrons. In 2020, some researchers discovered that the planet's rotation became faster, forcing them to adjust the Earth's usual second. 

However, a new database showed that the Earth has slowed down between July 1 until Sept. 30 by up to 0.5 milliseconds. Now, they said that it is constantly slowing down in the first half of 2021. 

Aside from Earth, space experts are also observing and making essential space activities to study the universe. In other news, a young baby exoplanet called 2M0437b was discovered. 

On the other hand, various researchers are now suggesting the use of the PI Method to destroy asteroids that pass near Earth.  

Why Earth's Rotation is Slowing Down? 

Science Alert reported that the Earth's rotation could be affected by force exerted by the moon. If the gravitational pull of the planet's natural satellite is too strong, there's a high chance that it would rotate slower than usual. 

On the other hand, earthquakes are the most common causes of a slower Earth rotation since these natural activities change the planet's mass arrangement. Right now, experts haven't issued a strong warning about the slower rotation of the planet. 

For more news updates about Earth and other related space topics, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.  

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Written by: Griffin Davis

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