The Moon, the length of the day, and life on Earth... It's all connected, according to this study

The Moon plays a more complex role than previously thought in the dynamics of Earth. A recent study reveals that in the past, days on Earth were significantly longer than they are currently.

This lengthening of the day results from the slow but constant movement of the Moon drifting away from Earth. This discovery might significantly change our understanding of key events in the evolution of life on our planet.


During two specific periods, days on Earth lengthened by more than two hours due to the Moon's gradual distancing. This longer exposure to sunlight facilitated crucial oxygenation events, which may be linked to the Cambrian explosion, a time when life on Earth rapidly diversified.

As the Moon moves away from Earth, it slows down the planet's rotation by absorbing some of its kinetic energy, directly leading to longer days. By studying marine rock layers dating from 700 to 200 million years ago, researchers have managed to reconstruct a "map" of this evolution, revealing a "staircase" pattern in Earth's rotation with two major periods of slowing down.

The first significant slowdown, around 650 to 500 million years ago, coincides with the Cambrian explosion, while the second, which occurred 340 to 280 million years ago, aligns with a major ice age. These findings suggest that the increase in day length, caused by the Moon's drift, could have been a triggering factor for major oxygenation events that facilitated the diversification of life.

However, researchers urge caution in interpreting these results. They also question the notion that Earth's rapid cooling, leading to a mass extinction, played a significant role in altering the planet's rotation via ice masses, emphasizing that tidal forces between the Moon and Earth are the primary cause of this phenomenon.