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In the past, the Moon used to be closer to Earth, causing Earth to complete one rotation in just 19 hours
(Image: Sky).
Nowadays, we are accustomed to a 24-hour day on Earth, and a week comprises 7 days. However, throughout its formation history, Earth experienced a tumultuous phase where everything operated almost sluggishly, and even entered a standstill.
During this period, Earth’s tectonic activities diminished, while geohistory began to emerge, leading to the evolution of life almost coming to a halt, even in its simplest form.
A recent study by scientists from Curtin University, Australia, has shed light on fascinating insights into this era. They suggest that this period coincided with a time when the Blue Planet was suspended in a stable state of continuous rotation, and a day (or one rotation) took only 19 hours.
This process extended for about a billion years and is regarded as the result of a delicate balance between opposing forces that once existed in Earth’s distant past.
During that time, the Moon was also closer to Earth and maintained a constant distance. Nowadays, the Moon is gradually “drifting” away from the gravitational pull between it and Earth, moving farther from Earth.
This transition has certain impacts on Earth’s tidal rhythm. Combined with geological factors and the fluctuation of Earth’s axial tilt, it has caused noticeable changes on our planet.
Specifically, since the Moon started moving away, Earth has been gradually slowing down, leading to longer days, and we now have a 24-hour day.
According to scientists, this number continues to increase each day, indicating that a day on Earth will become longer. Some research calculates the degree of change in hours per day, with an average of about 0.000015 seconds per year.