Scientists warn - Earth's rotation is slowing down - consequences could be devastating

Scientists have revealed that the earth's rotation is slowing down, due to which, Moon is moving away from it. This can cause major earthquakes.

The Earth that we are living on is rotating on its axis at a speed of 1,670 kilometers per hour. Have you ever thought that if the earth stops rotating on its axis or its rotation speed starts slowing down, then what will happen? Scientists believe that if this happened, then life on earth would be in danger. According to a study, the speed of the earth's rotation on its axis is slowing down, due to which the moon is gradually moving away from it. NASA scientists believe that this event could be the cause of major earthquakes. Read this shocking report ...

Decrease in the Rotating speed increases seismic events

Earthquake is one of the natural disasters on earth that humans have not been able to decode till date. You must remember the earthquake in Gujarat in 2001, in which 20 thousand people died. Not only that, on December 26, 2004, about 230,000 people died in the Tsunami that took place after the 9.1 magnitude earthquake. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Solar System's Ambassador Matthew Funke said that the gravity of Moon creates a tidal bulge on Earth. This bulge also tries to rotate at the rotating speed of earth. As a result, the speed of earth's rotation on its axis slows down. Scientists believe that this decrease in the speed of rotation of the earth on its axis increases the chances of seismic events. However, scientists are still unable to answer why this happens.

Earthquakes with intensity of Seven and more have increased in number

Actually, this universe works on the principle of Angular Momentum. Although the motion of bodies present in the universe may differ, but the sum of their angular momentum does not change. Scientists believe that when the angular momentum of the Earth decreases because of the Moon, then the Moon moves slightly further in its axis to achieve it. 

According to the study, the Moon is moving about one and a half inches every year. This can cause large earthquakes in the future. Roger Bilham from University of Colorado and Rebecca Bendick from the University of Montana found in their study that the number of earthquakes with intensity of seven or more have increased since the year 1900. In the last five years of the 20th century, when there was a slight decrease in the rotation of the earth, there were more number of earthquakes with seven or more intensity. Scientists recorded 25 to 30 earthquakes every year during this time. And on an average 15 of these were major earthquakes.

Would life on earth including humans end? 

Earlier, London's scientist Michael Stevens had found in his study that if Earth stops rotating, the atmosphere would continue to move. Winds will run at 1,670 kilometers per hour. This stormy wind will move everywhere demolishing everything that comes in its way. Humans will collide with each other at the speed of a gun. Moreover, the Earth's magnetic field would vanish. The atmosphere in such conditions would be like the aftermath of a nuclear explosion, causing nuclear and other types of deadly radiation to spread. The orange shaped Earth would become completely spherical. All of a sudden, there would be waves created in oceans which would bring floods everywhere. There will be day half a year and another half year will be night. This will end human population on earth. However, NASA scientists believe there will be no such event for several billion years.

Magnetic North Pole is also shifting its place

Schematic illustration of Earth's magnetic field.Credits: Peter Reid, The University of Edinburgh

Earlier, scientists had found in a study that earth's Magnetic North Pole, which provides information for navigation on Earth, is also changing its position. It is gradually moving away from the North Pole (Canadian Arctic) at a rate of 55 kilometers (34 miles) towards Siberia. Scientists believe that in the last few decades the Earth's magnetic north pole has moved so fast that the assumptions made in the past are no longer fit for the navigation through oceans. This is causing traffic problems through waterways. Geophysicist Arnold Chuliot, the chief researcher of the Colorado University's and New World Magnetic Model, said that due to this change, problems are arising in the compasses of smartphones and some other electronics devices used by consumers.