Wait…Why Could Today Be Shorter Than 24 Hours?

Ask anyone the question "How many hours in a day?" and they'll tell you: 24 hours. Well, today, August 5th, 2024, could be a bit shorter. How is that possible? We'll let science explain.

Today is Predicted to Be One of the Shortest Days of the Year

The Des Moines Register reports that scientists predict that today, August 5th, will be one of the shortest days of the year. How much shorter? Trust me, you won't even notice. According to the International Earth Rotation and Reference System Service, along with the U.S. Naval Observatory, today could be shorter than 24 hours by 1.34 milliseconds.

This isn't the first time this year we've been shortchanged on time. It happened most recently on July 11th, according to the Register.

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What is Causing Some Days to be Shorter Than Others?

Blame our planet. It takes the Earth 24 hours to complete one full rotation, equalling exactly 86,400 seconds. The Register reports that the Earth's rotation is influenced by the core, and the atmosphere. Scientists point out that the core's spin has been slowing down for unknown reasons. The rest of the planet must then speed up to compensate.

What is the Shortest Day Ever Recorded?

The Register reports that the shortest day ever recorded was July 5th, 2024, when it came up 1.66 milliseconds short of 24 hours. The shortest day this year was on July 10th, which came up 1.37 milliseconds short.

READ MORE: Summer Coming to an End with Less Daylight

Will the Speed-Up Ever Be Noticeable?

Needless to say, none of us is losing sleep after being shortchanged a millisecond. But the Register reports that it could cause issues with our atomic clocks. That in turn could throw off things like computers, servers, GPS signals, and other networks that require exact time to work properly.

In the meantime, get your to-do list done early. You're running out of time!