Longer Days, Bigger Impact: The Effects of Climate Change
A new study from the National Academy of Sciences revealed evidence that days on Earth are actually increasing in length. This alarming trend is caused by a number of factors, and climate change is at the center of it all.
Are Melting Ice Caps Making the Days Longer?
The north and south poles are covered in ice sheets, but those sheets are melting, which is having extreme climate consequences. When the ice melts, the sea levels rise, which is responsible for increasing the length of a day on the planet.
Global Warming Causing New Problems
The phenomenon is not new, according to climate scientists. Earth days have been increasing bit by bit for thousands of years. But the rapid melting of ice sheets on both poles is causing the process to speed up.
The Moon’s Role in Earth’s Days
While factors like the gravitational pull from the moon and other geological events have impacted the length of Earth’s days, melting ice caps have made the situation far more dire.
Global Temperatures a Major Concern
Scientists have been warning of the effects of global warming for years as global temperatures have continued to rise. Over 170 countries around the world have implemented official policies in hopes of slowing the effects of climate change.
UN Report Warns of Higher Temperatures to Come
Last year, a report from the United Nations said that the planet had about a decade before dangerous temperatures became the norm. In some parts of the world, extremely high temperatures have already started causing severe illness and death for humans and animals.
Deadly Impacts of Global Warming
Arizona remains one of the top ten hottest states in the country despite the fact that part of its landscape is at high altitudes, bringing the state’s average temperatures down. In the past month, several Arizonan children have died as a result of extreme temperatures.
Four Month Old Tragically Dies Due to Heat
Earlier this month, a four-month-old baby died after being on a boat on Lake Havasu for Independence Day. Temperatures on the lake that day may have been as high as 120 degrees Fahrenheit, and the area was under an emergency heat advisory.
Hiking in Extreme Temps Leads to Child’s Death
In Phoenix, a ten-year-old boy was hiking with his family while the temperature had reached 113 degrees Fahrenheit. He died after being rushed to a hospital as a result of what medical examiners called a “heat-related medical event.”
How to Stay Safe Outside
As global temperatures continue to rise as a result of climate change, scientists and medical experts urge citizens to take the heat seriously. Hydration is critical, and it is recommended to avoid being outside during the hottest parts of the day when possible.
Report Points to Miniscule Changes in Days’ Length
As for the increasingly long days, the National Academy of Sciences report shows that the changes so far are minimal. The differences are measured in milliseconds, and experts don’t expect that to matter much in the grand scheme of human life.
Why It Matters
This does, however, have the potential to change how we keep time globally. Much like how a leap day (February 29th) occurs once every four years to account for the amount of time it takes for Earth to orbit the sun, efforts may be necessary to account for the slightly longer days that will continue to increase in length.
Leap Seconds vs. Negative Leap Seconds
Leap seconds have been added dozens of times, but for the first time, a negative leap second could be incorporated.
Changing Time Could be Risky, Scientists Warn
Removing a second from the global time-keeping process is complicated, and since it has never been done before, scientists worry that it could come with risks.
“Without Precedent”
“A negative leap second has never been added or tested,” said Patrizia Tavella in commentary added to the report. “So the problems it could create are without precedent.”
Each Day’s Length is Different
Jerry X. Mitrovica added that “the time taken for the planet to make one full turn varies from day to day.”
Why Earth’s Days Are Inconsistent
Mitrovica said that several factors, including “friction between ocean water and the sea floor – both in shallow seas and in the deep ocean” and the changing shape of the planet, have contributed to this irregularity.
The Near Future
Given the fact that the impacts of climate change are expected to render a third of plant and animal species extinct by 2050, experts urge swift changes worldwide to prevent catastrophic consequences.
Research for Earth’s Protection
For now, it is unlikely that civilians will notice any real difference in the length of their day. However, the long-term impacts of climate change are real, and scientists hope that their research will help convince the world to take it more seriously.
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Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Oleg Elkov.
The content of this article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute or replace professional advice.
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