Study: As glaciers melt and sea levels rise, Earth spins slower

Study: As glaciers melt and sea levels rise, Earth spins slower

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec. 15 (UPI) -- Previous research proves the rotational speed of the Earth is not fixed. Now, new evidence suggests rising sea levels are slowing our movement around the axis ever so slightly. In the long term, the gravitational interplay between the Earth, sun and moon is slowing the planet's spin, but research shows the Earth's rotation can be sped up or slowed down in the short term by a variety of factors. One of those factors was believed to be glacial melting and sea level rise. As melting glaciers shift Earth's mass from the poles to the equator, the Earth's rotation slows. Because glacial melting occurs unevenly -- and water moves -- the uneven shifting of Earth's mass

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