Adrian Bejan
Are the days getting longer or are we getting older and slower?
I've seen some articles lately on this and the age old (pun not intended) question might have some answers. As 2025 rolls by like a day went by and now it's nearing the end of January already, I think it's time for some timely (pun intended) answers.
First, lets look at us getting older as the has been the belief through the years.
According to Coffey (2025), age does have a factor in time measurement and we all don't measure time the same way. Our minds are different. As youth we run through life catching and learning like sponges everything we can. Every little new thing is a new experience. As we get older and more experienced, the things we encounter are not new anymore. They don't excite us anymore. We tend to get used to the hum drum of the world and pay less attention to things. Our minds send neurons zapping around our brains at different speeds. What was once new and exciting is now dull and draining.
Next, do you know about the earth's rotation change?
I have read the world is spinning faster now. The ebb and flow of the tides, the moon and the earth have constant pressures and are now reacting differently than they used to some 50 years ago. Instead of slowing down the earth rotation is now speeding up. Leap seconds have been added in the past to correct time but in future we may be using "negative leap seconds" (Science Nature, 2024)) instead. While this change might not be extremely noticeable to people daily, it is noticeable when time is needed to be measured to milliseconds.
Have you noticed the change?
What do you prefer to believe in relation to those two views? Is it us getting older or the earth rotating faster? .... Or both. Oh my gosh! It's both!
So what do we do to combat these changes?
We need to take a look at our lives at various stages and decide if the status quo is satisfactory or if we want to do something and start learning new things to bring back the zippity do da we had as kids and spark some excitement. Give us a reason to get up in the morning and run through the fields of life. Who says you can't teach an older person new things? We can all learn as we grow. It might just help us from some health issues as we age also. I'm willing to give it a try. How about you?
My first go to is always nature. Go outside and enjoy the natural environment that is always changing and growing around us. From day to day there are new delights to trigger your senses. From a walk on the beach to a walk in the forest. You can even sit and enjoy a picnic outside, even on your deck and watch the birds, squirrels and bees at work.
Get out of your comfort zone and try sometime new. A new hobby, a new recreational activity, a new friend, going to new places. What is your new something for the year that you have been thinking of doing but have been too stuck in your comfort zone to do? Now is the time. Ophs, it's now a new day. Don't miss out on new opportunities. Make a plan, stick with it, try it out.
Earth is now spinning faster than it did 50 years ago (Coffey, 2025)
The scientific reason years get faster as we get older – and how to slow them down (Science Nature, 2024)