The heart of our planet has been spinning unusually slowly for the past 14 years, new research confirms. And if this mysterious trend continues, it could potentially lengthen Earth's days — though the effects would likely be imperceptible to us.
"When I first saw the seismograms that hinted at this change, I was stumped," John Vidale, a seismologist at the University of Southern California, Dornsife, said in a statement."But when we found two dozen more observations signaling the same pattern, the result was inescapable." By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.This is not the first time scientists have suggested that Earth's inner core is slowing down. This phenomenon, known as"backtracking," has been debated for around a decade but has been very hard to prove.
The new study is the"most convincing" evidence so far that backtracking has been happening, Vidale said.