A full day on Earth was only 19 hours long; see why

According to a study published in the scientific journal Nature Geoscience, about two billion years ago, a day on Earth lasted just 19 hours, five hours less than the current 24 hours. According to researchers, The period lasted about a billion years and took place at a chaotic time for our planet..

According to the study’s authors, Ross Mitchel of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Uwe Kirscher of Curtin University (Australia), the Moon was closer in the Proterozoic era and began to ‘steal’ some of the Moon’s rotational energy. our planet. So the days were only 19 hours and stayed that way for a long time; It is not in vain that scientists refer to this period as the “boring billion”.

The researchers discovered the results using a geological method that uses Earth’s sedimentary layers to understand how astronomical cycles called ‘Milankovitch cycles’ affect changes in our planet’s orbit and rotation. The method is called cyclostratigraphy and has allowed scientists to understand rhythmic changes in Earth’s climate..

“Over time, the Moon stole Earth’s rotational energy to push the Earth farther from Earth into a higher orbit.

a 19 hour day

Scientists often use a specialized technique of sedimentary rock analysis, but they believe that cyclostratigraphy can provide more answers about the period. For this reason, used the new method on 600-million-year-old sedimentary rocks that preserve ‘Milankovitch cycles’.

Mitchell and Kirscher also contend that Earth’s atmospheric conditions are experiencing a massive increase in oxygen levels, creating an ozone layer until the levels drop again. According to the researchers, ozone may have absorbed more sunlight than water vapor, stimulating atmospheric tides, a reaction that could help stabilize the 19-hour daytime period.

According to other studies, the “boring billion” may be a lot more interesting than researchers thought, and perhaps this period provided an important breakthrough for the development of complex life. In any case, scientists will continue to debate the issue as there are other hypotheses based on different datasets.