Scientists have discovered that a day on Earth lasted 26 hours!

 Imagine waking up in the morning and your day lasting over 26 hours. Does that sound like a dream come true for anyone who complains about not having enough time? Well, it turns out that this used to be a reality! Scientists from Chengdu University of Technology in China have made a discovery that is upending our understanding of the history of Earth and the development of life on it.

In a groundbreaking study published in the prestigious journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), Chinese researchers have revealed that in the distant past, the day on our planet lasted much longer than it does today. No kidding - we're talking about over 26 hours! This discovery may seem trivial, but its implications are huge and fascinating.

Scientists have identified two key periods in Earth's history when our day was much longer. The first one occurred between 650 and 500 million years ago. During this time, the day on Earth lasted 2.2 hours longer than it does today. Interestingly, this period coincides with the so-called "Cambrian explosion" - a time when life on our planet suddenly exploded with diversity and complexity.

The second period of slowing down of the Earth's rotation occurred between 340 and 280 million years ago. Then, too, the day was longer by more than 2 hours compared to today. This period coincided with the era when huge glaciers covered much of the surface of our planet.

But what caused these dramatic changes in the length of the day? The answer may surprise you - it's our faithful companion, the Moon! It turns out that the Moon's movement away from Earth plays a key role in this process. Currently, the Moon is about 384.4 thousand kilometers away from us, but it used to be much closer. Its gradual movement away by about 20 thousand kilometers had a direct impact on the slowing down of our planet's rotation.

This fascinating discovery sheds new light on the development of life on Earth. Scientists suggest that the lengthening of the day, and consequently the increased time of exposure to sunlight, may have been one of the key factors that led to the rapid development and diversification of life on our planet.

Imagine what life would be like if the day lasted 26 hours. More time for sleep? Or maybe for development? For our ancestors, these extra hours of sunlight could have been a real catalyst for evolution. During the "Cambrian explosion" on Earth, new, more complex organisms appeared, replacing the previously dominant simple single-cell forms. The lengthening of the day could have stimulated oxygenation processes, which in turn allowed the development of more complex biological structures.

Similarly, the covering of the Earth by huge glaciers between 340 and 280 million years ago could have been associated with the lengthening of the day and changes in exposure to sunlight. These changes could have had a huge impact on the climatic and geological processes that led to the ice age. This shows how complex and interconnected the processes that shape our planet are.

This discovery opens up a completely new perspective on the history of the Earth. It shows that astronomical factors, such as the retreat of the Moon, may have been crucial to shaping life on our planet. It provides new insights into the processes that led to the emergence of complex life and to major climatic and geological changes.