'As the moon moves away, the Earth is like a spinning figure skater who slows down as they stretch their arms out,' explained geoscientist Stephen Meyers. This analogy illustrates how the moon's gravitational pull affects Earth's rotation, causing an increase in the length of a day.
Researchers used a novel statistical approach to link astronomical theory with geological observation, allowing them to uncover Earth's historical relationship with the moon. This connection helped them understand how days on Earth have lengthened over billions of years.
The study reveals that 1.4 billion years ago, a day on Earth lasted only about 18 hours, highlighting significant changes in Earth's rotation as the moon has gradually moved away, confirming the long-term phenomenon of 'lunar recession'.
The distance between Earth and the moon increases at a rate of about 1.5 inches per year, leading to predictions that days on Earth could eventually stretch to 25 hours in about 200 million years.
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