The 24-hour day is not fixed but slowly stretching, and in the dinosaurs' time it was shorter: the Moon's pull is gently braking Earth's spin, so a day back then ran about 23.5 hours, and far shorter deeper in the past

Earth’s 24‑hour day is not fixed; it is lengthening, and in the age of dinosaurs a single rotation lasted roughly 23.5 hours, according to Space Daily. The gradual slowdown is caused by the Moon’s gravitational pull, which acts as a brake on Earth’s spin. This contradicts the common perception of a static day length and highlights a planetary timescale that stretches over millions of years.

The Moon is drifting away from Earth at a measured 3.8 centimetres per year, The Times of India notes. As the distance widens, tidal friction weakens, further reducing Earth’s rotational speed. Mashable India outlines current understanding of the Moon’s drift, confirming that the process is steady and observable.

Longer days will subtly affect human circadian rhythms, wildlife behavior, and climate models that rely on precise solar timing. Scientists plan to monitor lunar recession with laser ranging and satellite data to refine predictions of day‑length evolution. Future observations will determine how quickly the slowdown progresses and when eclipse conditions might cease, keeping the astronomical community attentive to this slow but measurable change.