Climate change is a real phenomenon, one that is changing the very surface of the Earth, mainly due to the actions of mankind. A recent study from ETH Zurich has highlighted a new aspect of these changes: the change in its pace of spinning around its axis due to melting polar ice.

According to the study, with the loss of ice at the poles and the increase in temperatures around the world, the water eventually moves towards the middle of the earth. This shift in mass is affecting the rotation of the planet, and the earth has slowed down. Thus, in turn, the days are growing just slightly longer. It has been another mind-blowing revelation that affirms how climate change is altering some of the most basic attributes of our planet.

This is according to Professor Benedikt Soja, who coordinated the studies published in Nature Geoscience and PNAS, and says it is just like a figure skater who spreads out their arms to spin in circles. These movements cause mass to redistribute itself around the planet’s axis of rotation, which in turn increases inertia, slowing down the rate of rotation.

Earth
Image Source: Wikidata

Originally, the tidal friction from the moon used to cause the elongation of days on extreme cases. But scientists came to publish their finding, which outlines that if greenhouse gases continue to rise, then climate change will overpower the moon. Professor Soja remarks, “We humans have a greater impact on our planet than we realize.”

The melting of ice sheets is also disrupting the axial tilt of the earth. To set the record straight, the earth is changing in several ways. Combining physical laws with artificial intelligence, the research team recreated the interactions of the processes in the Earth’s core, mantle, and surface that regulate this motion. Theirs concludes that climate change could be affecting the inside workings of the planet too.

“For the first time, we present a complete explanation for the causes of long-period polar motion,” says author Mostafa Kiani Shahvandi. Thus, the model devised by the researchers is capable of reconstructing the shift of the earth’s poles since the year 1900 and forecasting them. While these changes are slight in regard to daily life, they are very important for space travel. Thus, even small differences in the Earth's rotation lead to reasonable deviations when distances are rather large. 

As described by Professor Soja, these shifts are compulsory for having befitting landings on other planets. The study of ecosystems demonstrates how people shift processes on Earth, showing mankind’s duty to the future of the planet.

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