On July 9, 2025, scientists at the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS) reported that the Earth completed its rotation approximately 1.3 to 1.6 milliseconds faster than the standard 24-hour period. Moreover, this is expected to happen again on July 22 and August 5 this year.

But with atomic clocks tracking the Earth’s rotational speed so closely that once every year and a half or so, the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (yes, there is such a thing) has to add a leap second to the year to account for any increase in the planet’s speed,

As for when this three-day event will happen, there are three days this summer when the moon will be around its furthest distance from Earth’s equator, resulting in the slight increase in Earth’s rotational speed. Scientists are predicting that this will happen on July 9, July 22 and Aug. 5.