Technologies

Earth Is Spinning Weirdly Faster, Making Today One of the Shortest Days Ever

Earth will complete its daily rotation between 1.25 and 1.51 milliseconds faster than usual, and scientists aren’t quite sure why.

Earth’s rotation is randomly speeding up, and nobody is quite sure why. These speedups, which have occurred several times over the last few years, haven’t had any effect on daily life, but they also haven’t gone unnoticed by science. Tuesday, Aug. 5 is the next date when Earth’s rotation is expected to speed up, shortening the day by between 1.25 and 1.51 milliseconds.

According to Time and Date, the current prediction is set by the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service and the US Naval Observatory. The original prediction was 1.51 milliseconds, but it’s since been updated to 1.25 milliseconds. This is also the third time Earth’s rotation has sped up for a day this summer. The other two instances occurred on July 10 and July 22.

Should the first prediction be accurate, Aug. 5, 2025, will be the third shortest day on record behind June 30, 2022, when the Earth spun 1.59 milliseconds faster, and July 5, 2024, when it completed its rotation 1.66 milliseconds faster. If the prediction is off, then it may succeed those two as the shortest day Earth has seen in recorded history.

For reference, Earth generally takes approximately 86,400 seconds to make one full rotation. One millisecond is 0.001 seconds. So, this won’t be noticeable to humans and will not affect anything.

What’s causing Earth to spin faster?

There are numerous reasons why Earth could be spinning faster. The prevailing opinion is that it’s due to the moon’s current position over Earth. When the moon is further north or south than Earth’s equator, it can impact how fast the planet spins.

On Aug. 5, 2025, the moon will be quite a bit further south than the equator, which is likely causing the slightly faster spin. This is expected to have a short-term impact on Earth’s orbit.

Science can’t explain it

Scientists are puzzling over why Earth is speeding up at all. Approximately 245 million years ago, the dinosaurs roamed, and days were an hour and a half shorter than they are today. Earth’s rotation has been slowing ever since, mostly due to the moon’s impact on Earth’s oceans. Science has measured Earth’s rotation subtly slowing down since official records began in 1973.

However, a recent trend shows that Earth’s rotation is speeding up, and since these faster days are mostly explained by the moon’s orbit, science has yet to fully explain why. A research paper posted in Nature in 2023 suggests that Earth’s core may have started slowing down as recently as 2010, which would explain Earth’s faster rotation. However, confirmation doesn’t yet exist.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, Aug. 6

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Aug. 6

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

I struggled with a few of today’s Mini Crossword clues. 3-Down, with the clue «Fab!» really stumped me. I eventually got it, thanks to the other clues filling in some letters. Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in The Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Stylish
Answer: HIP

4A clue: Something a beach umbrella provides
Answer: SHADE

6A clue: ___ Banks, North Carolina
Answer: OUTER

7A clue: Unlikely to keep you up at night, in a way
Answer: DECAF

8A clue: The eruption of Mount St. Helens released 520 million tons of it
Answer: ASH

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Come out of one’s shell
Answer: HATCH

2D clue: Bright ___
Answer: IDEA

3D clue: «Fab!»
Answer: PERF

4D clue: Starry or Squirt
Answer: SODA

5D clue: Color tones
Answer: HUES

Technologies

Samsung Acknowledges Its ‘Upcoming’ Tri-Fold Phone on Earnings Call

It’s reportedly «preparing to introduce» the unique form factor later this year.

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 may have just come out, but it appears the company is already teasing its next foldable phone that takes things to a whole other level.

In an earnings call last week, which Seeking Alpha shared, Samsung noted it’s pushing forward with its triple-screen foldable, which has been rumored for months. It also acknowledged the imminent arrival of its Project Moohan mixed reality headset, which it’s developing with Google. Samsung reportedly said it’s «preparing to introduce» the products this year.

«We will drive sales of our premium mobile AI devices, including our newly launched foldables and aim to lead the market by expanding our ecosystem through innovative form factors like the upcoming Tri-Fold device and our first XR headset,» the company reportedly said on the call.

A representative for Samsung didn’t immediately respond to CNET’s request for comment.

Last month, Android Authority reported that a Samsung executive said the new foldable is «ready to go.» That person reportedly told the publication: «We’ve had a tri-fold for some time, designed and everything. So it’s not a new concept to us. What we’re debating is the viability. When I say the viability, is there really a demand for this form factor?»

It’s an interesting consideration, as there arguably hasn’t been overwhelming demand for thinner phones, and yet Samsung still debuted the slim Galaxy S25 Edge in May — and then carried over that sleek design to the Z Fold 7. But it’s possible that, as Samsung said when it debuted its latest book-style foldable, «feeling is believing,» and people might be keen to get their hands on a phone that feels more innovative than many other devices currently on the market.

Android Authority cites a South Korean publication that says the rumored tri-fold will have a 10-inch OLED display, a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip and a triple camera system with a 200-megapixel main camera, a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera and a 10-megapixel telephoto camera — just like the Z Fold 7. It could also have a 10-megapixel selfie camera. Rumors suggest it could cost around $3,000. It could first launch in China and South Korea before the company determines whether to extend availability elsewhere.

Like thin phones, tri-folds are having a moment. Last month, Chinese company Tecno showed off its tri-fold concept, the Phantom Ultimate G Fold. There’s also the Huawei Mate XT Ultimate, which is available now outside the US.

In a press conference during Samsung Unpacked in July, Roh Tae-moon, the acting head of Samsung Electronics’ Device Experience Division, reportedly confirmed plans for the company to launch a tri-fold phone by the end of this year. The device has been dubbed the «Galaxy G Fold,» though Samsung seemingly hasn’t confirmed anything about that naming.

«We are now focusing on perfecting the product and its usability, but we have not decided its name,» The Korea Times quoted Roh. «As the product nears completion, we are planning to make a final decision soon.»

We’ll see if Samsung ends up dropping more teasers in the coming months, like it did in the lead-up to the Z Fold 7.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for Aug. 6, #787

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for Aug. 6, #787.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle has one of those purple categories at which the New York Times’ editors are experts. They love to add letters to related words to make other words, and it can be tough to see that connection — which is the point of the puzzle. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group, to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Maybe a nametag.

Green group hint: Joking around.

Blue group hint: Think Ali or Tyson.

Purple group hint: Think Schwarzenegger.