While it might not seem like a significant issue, the Moon drifting away from Earth has notable implications.

Many of us assume that the Earth’s only natural satellite stays at a fixed distance from our planet, but this is far from true due to gravitational forces. This might bring back memories of high school science lessons.

Recent scientific research has uncovered a gradually weakening bond between the Earth and the Moon, raising the question: why is this happening?

This gradual separation has caused the Earth to spin more slowly, significantly affecting our concept of time. Scientists have discovered that days on Earth are lengthening as the Moon moves farther away.

1.4 billion years ago, a day on Earth was only 18 hours long. “As the Moon moves away, the Earth is like a spinning figure skater who slows down as they stretch their arms out,” explained Professor Stephen Meyers of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, co-author of the study.

“Our goal was to use Astrochronology to tell time in the most distant past, to develop ancient geological time scales,” he continued. “We want to be able to study rocks that are billions of years old in a way that is comparable to how we study modern geologic processes.”

Astrochronology links astronomical theory with geological observation.

In 2022, Professor Meyers and his team explored Earth’s past to recreate the solar system’s historical appearance. They examined sediments from a 90-million-year-old rock formation, uncovering the Earth’s climate cycles in the process.

Their findings reveal that the Moon is currently receding from the Earth at a rate of 1.5 inches (3.81 centimeters) per year.

The study also suggests that the Moon was once so close to Earth that gravitational interactions would have torn it apart. “It was exciting because, in a way, you dream of this all the time; I was a solution looking for a problem,” said co-author Professor Alberto Malinvero.

However, it’s important to remember that the Moon is 4.5 billion years old, which means these calculations might have some degree of inaccuracy. Nevertheless, one thing is certain: days on Earth are indeed getting longer.