Earth’s Unusual Rapid Spin Could Prompt First-Ever ‘Negative Leap Second’

Earth's Rotation Accelerating, Potential Negative Leap Second Considered Earth's rotation has been unusually rapid since 2020, with days becoming slightly shorter than the standard 24 hours. This unprecedented trend has prompted scientists to consider the possibility of implementing the first-ever "negative leap second" to keep atomic clocks in sync with the planet's rotation. Typically, leap seconds are added to atomic clocks to account for the gradual slowing of Earth's rotation. However, the current rapid spin could necessitate the opposite action – subtracting a second to prevent atomic time from running ahead of solar time. The decision to introduce a negative leap second would be made by the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS), the organization responsible for monitoring Earth's rotation and coordinating the adjustment of atomic clocks. This potential change highlights the dynamic nature of our planet's rotation and the ongoing efforts to maintain precise timekeeping in the face of these geophysical fluctuations.