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Climate Change Is Measurably Slowing Earth's Spin
New research shows human-driven climate change is redistributing enough mass to slow Earth's rotation at a rate unseen in 3.6 million years, with measurable effects on timekeeping and GPS systems.
Key Takeaways
- Melting polar ice is redistributing mass to the equator, slowing Earth's spin like a skater extending their arms
- The slowdown rate is unprecedented in 3.6 million years of geological records
- Effects ripple into GPS accuracy, financial trading timestamps, and global timekeeping standards
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