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Scientists say that the length of a day on Earth may increase by 25 hours, as the Moon is moving away from the Earth.
According to a research conducted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the Moon is moving away from the Earth at a rate of about 3.8 centimeters per year.
Over time, this could result in a day on Earth lasting up to 25 hours in 200 million years, the research says. About 1.4 billion years ago, a day on Earth lasted a little over 18 hours.
gravitational force between the earth and the moon
Stephen Meyers, a professor in the Department of Geosciences at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, suggests that the gravitational interaction between the Earth and the Moon may be the primary cause.
“As the moon moves away, the Earth becomes like a spinning figure skater who slows down as she spreads her arms,” Meyers said.
The professor further said that they are aiming to use ‘astrochronology’ to be able to tell time in the distant past. “We want to be able to study rocks that are billions of years old, the way we study modern geological processes,” said Mayor.
The slowing down of the moon is nothing new
Although the theory of the Moon’s retreat has been known to man for years, the Wisconsin research aims to study this phenomenon in depth in its historical and geological context.
By examining ancient geological structures and sediment layers, researchers have been able to trace the history of the Earth-Moon system back billions of years.
The findings showed that the Moon’s current motion has been relatively stable. However, it has fluctuated over geological timescales due to various factors. Earth’s rotation and continental drift have been identified as the major causes.
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