Melting polar ice from climate change slows Earth's rotation
Turns out, climate change isn't just about weather: it's actually making our days a bit longer.
A new study found that as polar ice melts, massive amounts of water are shifting from the poles to the equator.
This changes Earth's balance and slows down its spin, something scientists say hasn't happened in over three million years.
Study: 1,000 gigatons moving to oceans
Researchers used fossil records and machine learning to track these changes, and they discovered that today's climate impact could compete with natural forces like the Moon's pull.
Co-author Benedikt Soja put it simply: About 1,000 gigatons of ice (think a 10-kilometer-high ice cube) is moving into our oceans.
If greenhouse gas emissions keep rising, climate change could by the end of the century become the main factor affecting how fast Earth spins.