Whether through the Moon’s tidal friction, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or tectonic drifts, the Earth’s rotation has been slowing since its formation. Now, a new study from NASA’s JPL and ETH ...

What can a moon’s tidal friction teach us about its formation and evolution? This is what a recent study published in Science Advances hopes to address as a team of researchers at the University of ...

Our Moon is slowly drifting away from Earth, not just due to tidal friction as previously thought. New research suggests ancient planetary impacts and Earth's internal cooling, causing contraction and ...

SwRI scientists have determined that at the rate Titan’s orbit is changing, it should have acquired a circular orbit within about 350 million years. The fact that Titan currently has a noncircular or ...

The observations of ancient astronomers from the time of the Babylonians onwards have revealed our modern days are not getting quite as long as they should be. The Earth's spin is slowing down and ...

(Later, tidal heating would turn off, and the planet's surface could become safe to walk on.) In contrast, a world that had completely melted would be so fluid that it would produce little friction.

For billions of years, the Moon has been Earth’s steadfast companion, influencing tides, stabilising our planet’s tilt, and shaping the evolution of life. Yet precise laser measurements reveal an ...