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Earth's rotation speeding up, may need "negative leap second."

The Globe and Mail — March 27, 2024, 06:00 PM UTC

Summary: Earth's rotation is speeding up, potentially requiring a "negative leap second" by 2029, a first in history. Ice melting at the poles delays this adjustment. Since 1972, 27 leap seconds were added to align atomic and astronomical time. Tech companies like Google have implemented solutions. The Earth's core and melting ice contribute to the changing rotation. Experts debate the necessity and implications of this adjustment.

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Article metrics
Significance5.1
Scale7.0
Magnitude6.0
Potential8.0
Novelty9.0
Actionability4.0
Immediacy5.0
Positivity6.0
Credibility9.0

Timeline:

  1. [3.1]
    Global warming may cause a "negative leap second." (The Cool Down)
    35d
    Source
  2. [3.8]
    Earth's rotation slowing, leap second deletion delayed by climate change (PINKVILLA)
    38d
    Source
  3. [2.1]
    Potential need for negative leap second in 2029 debated (Mint)
    40d
    Source
  4. [5.0]
    Earth's rotation accelerates from melting ice caps, affecting timekeeping (Inquirer.net)
    40d

    ScoresSource
  5. [6.1]
    Global warming affects Earth's rotation, delaying leap second subtraction (Times Now)
    40d

    ScoresSource
  6. [5.7]
    Melting glaciers from climate change affect Earth's rotation, timekeeping (The Indian Express)
    41d

    ScoresSource
  7. [5.7]
    Global warming affects Earth's timekeeping, requiring UTC adjustments (Sambad English)
    42d

    ScoresSource
  8. [3.2]
    Possible "negative leap second" in 2029 due to Earth's faster rotation (KAGSTV.com)
    43d
    Source
  9. [3.0]
    Possible leap second in 2029 due to Earth's rotation (Nation Thailand)
    45d
    Source
  10. [4.6]
    Global warming may delay negative leap second until 2029 (RTE.ie)
    45d
    Source
  11. [6.5]
    Climate change may delay need for negative leap second (The Straits Times)
    45d

    ScoresSource
  12. [4.0]
    Melting polar ice affects Earth's rotation, timekeeping worldwide (PINKVILLA)
    45d
    Source
  13. [3.1]
    Earth's rotation speeding up, may need "negative leap second." (Wings)
    45d
    Source
  14. [5.5]
    Melting ice caps delay leap second, prompting timekeeping changes (ABC News)
    46d

    ScoresSource
  15. [4.2]
    Earth's rotation speeding up, may need negative leap second (News18)
    46d
    Source
  16. [4.9]
    Melting polar ice may require a "negative leap second." (The Washington Post)
    46d
    Source
  17. [4.5]
    Earth's rotation speeding up, possible negative leap second in 2029 (The Associated Press)
    46d
    Source
  18. [5.9]
    Negative leap second likely in 2029 due to Earth's changes (CNN)
    46d

    ScoresSource