Every second, the Earth spins at an incredible speed, completing a full rotation in just 24 hours. While this may seem ordinary, the simple act of our planet turning on its axis is responsible for the ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. An award-winning reporter writing about stargazing and the night sky. Earth could be about to record its fastest-ever rotation.

Earth takes 24 hours to complete a full rotation in a standard day, equal to exactly 86,400 seconds. July 9 was the first of three days in which a millisecond or more could be shaved off the clock on ...