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Global warming affects Earth's timekeeping, requiring UTC adjustments

Sambad English — April 1, 2024, 03:00 AM UTC

Summary: A study in Nature reveals that global warming is affecting Earth's timekeeping. Melting ice in Greenland and Antarctica is decreasing Earth's angular velocity. By 2029, a negative discontinuity in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) may be necessary due to this trend. Accelerated polar ice melting delays this issue by 3 years. The study highlights challenges for computer network timing and the historical evolution of time measurement methods.

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Article metrics
Significance5.7
Scale9.5
Magnitude8.0
Potential9.0
Novelty8.5
Actionability6.0
Immediacy7.0
Positivity2.0
Credibility7.0

Timeline:

  1. [3.1]
    Global warming may cause a "negative leap second." (The Cool Down)
    36d
    Source
  2. [3.8]
    Earth's rotation slowing, leap second deletion delayed by climate change (PINKVILLA)
    39d
    Source
  3. [2.1]
    Potential need for negative leap second in 2029 debated (Mint)
    41d
    Source
  4. [5.0]
    Earth's rotation accelerates from melting ice caps, affecting timekeeping (Inquirer.net)
    41d

    ScoresSource
  5. [6.1]
    Global warming affects Earth's rotation, delaying leap second subtraction (Times Now)
    41d

    ScoresSource
  6. [5.7]
    Melting glaciers from climate change affect Earth's rotation, timekeeping (The Indian Express)
    42d

    ScoresSource
  7. [3.2]
    Possible "negative leap second" in 2029 due to Earth's faster rotation (KAGSTV.com)
    44d
    Source
  8. [3.0]
    Possible leap second in 2029 due to Earth's rotation (Nation Thailand)
    46d
    Source
  9. [4.6]
    Global warming may delay negative leap second until 2029 (RTE.ie)
    46d
    Source
  10. [6.5]
    Climate change may delay need for negative leap second (The Straits Times)
    46d

    ScoresSource
  11. [4.0]
    Melting polar ice affects Earth's rotation, timekeeping worldwide (PINKVILLA)
    46d
    Source
  12. [3.1]
    Earth's rotation speeding up, may need "negative leap second." (Wings)
    46d
    Source
  13. [5.5]
    Melting ice caps delay leap second, prompting timekeeping changes (ABC News)
    47d

    ScoresSource
  14. [4.2]
    Earth's rotation speeding up, may need negative leap second (News18)
    47d
    Source
  15. [4.5]
    Earth's rotation speeding up, possible negative leap second in 2029 (The Associated Press)
    47d
    Source
  16. [4.9]
    Melting polar ice may require a "negative leap second." (The Washington Post)
    47d
    Source
  17. [5.1]
    Earth's rotation speeding up, may need "negative leap second." (The Globe and Mail)
    47d

    ScoresSource
  18. [5.9]
    Negative leap second likely in 2029 due to Earth's changes (CNN)
    47d

    ScoresSource