File this under “things you don’t think about until they start messing with satellites.”
It turns out that sometime this summer, we could experience the shortest day ever recorded—not because of daylight savings, not because of anything human-made, but because Earth itself might spin just a little bit faster.
Graham Jones, an astrophysicist at the University of London, says our planet’s rotation is expected to noticeably speed up on one of three potential dates: July 9, July 22, or August 5. How much faster? Just a smidge—specifically, 1.30, 1.38, or 1.51 milliseconds shorter than usual. Barely a blink, and definitely nothing your body clock would notice.
But to the ultra-precise world of GPS systems, satellites, and timekeeping infrastructure, even that tiny tweak matters.
What’s behind the spin-up? That’s the strange part—scientists aren’t exactly sure. Earth has had minor fluctuations in rotation for as long as the earth existed, but starting around 2020, researchers began noticing that days were subtly getting shorter, more often.
The effects—if any—on daily life will likely be nonexistent. But still, it’s one of those reminders that this planet we call home is alive in its own way. Shifting. Spinning. And occasionally doing something none of us saw coming.
So yeah, this summer may feature the shortest day on record. Not that you’ll notice… unless your GPS suddenly does..