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Metro
11 hours ago
- Climate
- Metro
Earth is spinning so fast that today will be shorter - but is time going faster?
Lisa Maynard-Atem, 47, can barely remember what she had for breakfast three days ago, let alone what happened last year. Halfway into 2025, we've had World War Three scares, deadly weather events, a whirlwind Trump presidency and high-profile court cases. For people like Lisa, these happened yesterday. Or was it last month? Maybe 2016? 'Time feels like it's on fast-forward,' Lisa, a branding consultant living in Manchester, told Metro. 'It still feels like it's 2020 when we were in lockdown. One minute, it was January and my younger sister was getting married. Next, it was March, and Boris Johnson was telling us to stay home 'One night, I went to bed and woke in 2025.' Time flies when we're having fun, as the saying goes. But lately, it's flying even if we're having no fun at all. And you're not imagining it – today will be one of the shortest days since records began. So, what's going on? Is time really going faster? We live in a four-dimensional world: length, width. depth and time. Time as a dimension neither flows nor ticks; it just is, and can be observed as things in our universe change. Then there's the time that clocks measure in seconds, minutes and hours. This is clock time, or objective time. Finally, there's mind time, also called subjective time, the time we feel passing. Broadly speaking, Earth takes roughly 24 hours to spin around on its axis. Ocean tides, volcanic activity and earthquakes can affect rotation speed. For years, however, the Earth has been spinning faster, making days shorter, though scientists aren't 100% sure why. Earth will complete a full rotation 1.34 milliseconds less than usual today, making it one of the shortest days on record. This follows July 9, which was 1.23 milliseconds shorter. August 5 will be one of the shortest days on record, with the shortest being July 5, 2024, cut short by 1.66 milliseconds. All this lost time means we're going to have a 'negative leap second' in 2029 to keep timekeeping systems, like GPS systems, accurate. Richard Holme, an emeritus professor of geophysics at the University of Liverpool, says the Moon is partly behind this. The Earth's gravitational dance with the Moon causes our planet to bulge, Holme tells Metro. 'It takes some time for the material to recover and go back. Try pulling the skin on your arm – or better, find an old person like me and do it to them. When you let go, the skin returns, but it takes a little time,' he says. 'In the time it takes to go down, the Earth has rotated, which means the bulge is not aligned with the direction of the Moon, but rotated out of line. 'The out-of-line bulge is pulled by the Moon in the opposite direction to the rotation, so it tends to act against and reduce Earth's rotation. This slows down the speed of rotation, and so increases the length of day.' But today, the Moon is far enough away enough that a day will be shorter. Today will only be a millisecond quicker than usual – but this doesn't explain why people like Lisa feel like time has been a blur for years. We know how our brains deal with senses, like touch and taste, but how we sense time is a mystery, says Devin Terhune, a reader in experimental psychology at King's College London. Certain parts of the brain have been identified as possible stopwatches, such as the basal ganglia or cerebellum, 'but their precise role in timing has not been clarified,' Terhune tells Metro. 'Research suggests that our variations in our experience of time may be due to variations in perceptual processing, such as our experience of salient or novel events or changes in sensory inputs. 'So, a complex scene might be perceived as lasting longer than one in which there are very few changes.' Stefano Arlaud, a researcher on time perception and metacognition of time perception at Queen Mary University of London, tells Metro that we might have an internal clock made of a 'pacemaker' that emits pulses that signify the passing of time. 'The more attentively we monitor time, the more pulses are registered, and the longer an event appears to last,' he says. 'When attention is directed elsewhere – toward a demanding task or a flood of sensory input – this gate narrows, pulses go uncounted and time seems to contract.' This plays into how life seems to feel slower when you're young and turbocharged as you get older, as it's proportional to what we've already lived through. A year for a two-year-old is half their life, and is only one-70th for a 70-year-old. 'Memory becomes the clock,' says Arlaud, adding: 'Events that lack novelty or variation feel short in memory because the brain has stored fewer temporal 'markers'.' We probably won't clock – pun intended – that we've lost milliseconds tomorrow. But losing mind time is taking a toll on us. What Lisa is describing is called 'digital hyperstimulation', which is turning our brains into 'sieves'. Arlaud says: 'The digital environment offers relentless novelty – news updates, messages, entertainment – but this novelty is often shallow and rapidly replaced. 'Paradoxically, this leads to poor memory encoding: the constant churn of low-significance content prevents the deep processing needed to form durable memory.' Think of those nights you spent in bed scrolling on TikTok for a few minutes, only to realise it's been three hours. We now feel 'behind' all the time, leaving us stressed and burnt out. More Trending 'People are not just misperceiving time – they're mismanaging it, reinforcing a feedback loop of overload and disconnection,' Arlaud warns. Lisa knows this feeling all too well. Making every day meaningful as someone self-employed has left her in an 'odd time warp'. 'Weeks bleed into months,' Lisa says, 'and, suddenly, two years have passed.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: We're one step closer to living on the Moon – and it's thanks to something 'magic' MORE: Longest solar eclipse in 100 years to happen in 2027 – here's where to see it MORE: Astronomers just casually witnessed the birth of a new solar system
NZ Herald
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
David Beckham's iconic buzz cut goes wrong with DIY haircut attempt
Speaking to Gary Neville during an episode of The Overlap podcast, he said: 'I always like the skinhead. I always loved the skinhead, because it was easy and you didn't have to do anything with it.' The light-hearted clip of David's hair error comes amid deeper tensions within the Beckham family, with reports of an ongoing feud between their children. According to The Sun, Romeo Beckham, 22, and Cruz Beckham, 20, have blocked their elder brother Brooklyn Beckham, 26, on social media – a move which has reportedly widened the rift between them. Brooklyn, who married actress Nicola Peltz, 30, in 2022, is said to have been 'blindsided' by the apparent snub. A source told The Sun: 'Blocking or unfollowing someone on Instagram is like the Gen Z version of World War Three. It's a sad new low.' The insider added: 'Brooklyn has cut out his parents, David and Victoria, from his life and it's the same with Romeo and Cruz. 'Even when the family have reached out to Brooklyn they have been ignored. He's not had contact for months and it feels clear to them that he doesn't want to make amends.' Romeo and Cruz Beckham have blocked their brother Brooklyn Beckham on social media. Photo / Getty Images The alleged Beckham feud is said to have been simmering for months. But while initial reports suggested Brooklyn and Nicola had unfollowed Romeo and Cruz, insiders close to Brooklyn claim that is not the case. A friend of Brooklyn's told The Sun: 'Brooklyn had no idea until he read about it online. It's possible Romeo and Cruz blocked them, which would make it appear as him no longer following the brothers. 'He and Nicola certainly didn't unfollow them or block them – they're as confused as anyone else. The first they heard about it was when it was being reported on.'
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
David Beckham left with huge bald patch after DIY haircut blunder
David Beckham has been left with a glaring bald spot after a DIY haircut went wrong. The 50-year-old former England football captain had been attempting to recreate his iconic buzz cut at home when the clipper guard came loose mid-shave, removing a large chunk of hair from the top of his head, and the mishap was revealed in a video on Instagram posted by his wife Victoria. She said as he posed in the clip: 'It does not look good. I'm going to always be honest with you. It looks terrible.' David's haircut was intended as a tribute to his famous skinhead look, first debuted in a Premier League match against Leicester City in 2000. David recently said it remains his favourite look. Speaking to Gary Neville during an episode of The Overlap podcast, he said: 'I always like the skinhead. I always loved the skinhead, because it was easy and you didn't have to do anything with it.' The light-hearted clip of David's hair error comes amid deeper tensions within the Beckham family, with reports of an ongoing feud between their children. According to The Sun, Romeo Beckham, 22, and Cruz Beckham, 20, have blocked their elder brother Brooklyn Beckham, 26, on social media – a move which has reportedly widened the rift between them. Brooklyn, who married actor Nicola Peltz, 30, in 2022, is said to have been 'blindsided' by the apparent snub. A source told The Sun: 'Blocking or unfollowing someone on Instagram is like the Gen Z version of World War Three. It's a sad new low.' The insider added: 'Brooklyn has cut out his parents David and Victoria from his life and it's the same with Romeo and Cruz. 'Even when the family have reached out to Brooklyn they have been ignored. He's not had contact for months and it feels clear to them that he doesn't want to make amends.' The alleged Beckham feud is said to have been simmering for months. But while initial reports suggested Brooklyn and Nicola had unfollowed Romeo and Cruz, insiders close to Brooklyn claim that is not the case. A friend of Brooklyn's told The Sun: 'Brooklyn had no idea until he read about it online. It's possible Romeo and Cruz blocked them, which would make it appear as him no longer following the brothers. 'He and Nicola certainly didn't unfollow them or block them – they're as confused as anyone else. The first they heard about it was when it was being reported on.'
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
David Beckham is left with a huge BALD patch after DIY haircut blunder – and wife Victoria admits ‘it looks terrible'
DAVID Beckham was left with a huge BALD patch after suffering a DIY haircut blunder - with Victoria even admitting 'it looks terrible'. The former Advertisement 5 David Beckham was left with a huge BALD patch after suffering a DIY haircut blunder Credit: Instagram 5 The head of his clippers fell off mid-shave, leaving a glaring bald spot on top of his head Credit: Instagram David had already trimmed most of his hair down to stubble, meaning there was little he could do to hide the exposed patch of skin. His wife Victoria shared a video of the aftermath on Instagram, reacting blunty while showing the uneven crop. She told him: 'It does not look good. I'm going to always be honest with you. It looks terrible.' The style was a throwback to the skinhead look Beckham famously debuted during a Premier League match against Advertisement read more on David Beckham He's returned to it several times over the years, and recently named it his favourite look during an interview with close friend Gary Neville on He said: "I always like the skinhead. I always loved the skinhead, because it was easy and you didn't have to do anything with it.' Away from the jokes and laughter, David and Victoria The Beckham brothers are in the 'Gen Z version of World War Three' after Romeo and Cruz blocked Brooklyn on social media. Advertisement Most read in Celebrity Exclusive Exclusive The younger boys are accused of turning their backs on Brooklyn for good, and sending the family deeper into crisis. Model Brooklyn, 26, and wife Nicola, 30, are said to be Beckham family wish Harper happy 14th birthday - amid fears Brooklyn will swerve party in family feud A source said: 'Blocking or unfollowing someone on Instagram is like the Gen Z version of World War Three. It's a sad new low. 'But the truth is, Brooklyn has cut out his parents David and Victoria from his life and it's the Advertisement "Even when the family have reached out to Brooklyn they have been ignored. 'He's not had contact for months and it feels clear to them that he doesn't want to make amends.' The feud, which The Sun understands Yesterday it was initially reported that Brooklyn and Nicola had unfollowed Romeo, 22, and Cruz, 20. Advertisement But those close to Brooklyn said this was not true. A friend said: 'Brooklyn had no idea until he read about it online. It's possible 'He and Nicola certainly didn't unfollow them or block them — they're as confused as anyone else. 'The first they heard about it was when it was being reported on.' Advertisement The Beckham Family Feud April 2022: Brooklyn marries Nicola Peltz. Wedding Dress Controversy: Rumours begin circulating that there's tension between Nicola and Victoria Beckham after Nicola chooses not to wear a Victoria Beckham-designed wedding gown. Nicola later clarifies in August 2022 (and again in March 2023) that Victoria's atelier couldn't make the dress in time, but reports in May 2025 suggest Victoria actually changed her mind about making the dress. Post-Wedding (2022 onwards): Minimal interaction between Nicola and Victoria on social media, and noticeable absence of Nicola at key Beckham family events. Alleged Wedding "Hijack": In May 2025, a source claimed Victoria "ruined" part of the wedding by allegedly hijacking a dance with Marc Anthony, which was meant for Brooklyn and Nicola. Nicola reportedly ran from the room crying. March 2025: A resurfaced TikTok of Romeo and Cruz mimicking a "baby voice" (which fans associate with Nicola) sparks speculation of sibling shade. April 2025: Brooklyn and Nicola are reportedly absent from Victoria Beckham's 51st birthday celebrations in Miami and her Paris Fashion Week show. May 2025: David Beckham's 50th Birthday Snub: Brooklyn and Nicola are notably absent from David Beckham's 50th birthday celebrations in London, despite being invited. Reports suggest their absence was due to Brooklyn not wanting to be in the same room as Kim Turnbull, the girlfriend of Romeo who had previously been reported to have been dating Brooklyn, who David allegedly opted to have at the party over Nicola. Rumours emerge of a falling out between Brooklyn and his younger brother Romeo, reportedly due to Romeo's new girlfriend, DJ Kim Turnbull, who allegedly had a past connection with Brooklyn. Reports surface that the Beckham parents are "hurt and disappointed" that Brooklyn is "playing no part in family life." Sources claim that tensions between Brooklyn and Nicola and his parents are "definitely not beyond repair." June 2025: Brooklyn and Nicola reportedly enlist a "crisis team" similar to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for "reputation management" due to the growing media scrutiny. Cruz Beckham posts cryptic lyrics on Instagram that some interpret as a swipe at Brooklyn. July 2025: Reports indicate David and Victoria are "desperate" to reconcile with Brooklyn. Brooklyn publicly wishes his sister Harper a happy 14th birthday on Instagram, tagging Nicola, which is seen as a potential "olive branch" and a rare public message to his family amid the rumored rift. Brooklyn UNFOLLOWS his brothers Romeo and Cruz just 24 hours after his birthday message to Harper. Nicola quickly follows suit and also ditches the Beckham bros from her Instagram following. Romeo and Cruz are now also no longer following Brooklyn. Shortly after Brooklyn learned of his brothers' snub, Romeo reposted Justin Bieber's new song Walking Away on his Instagram stories with the caption: 'Yup.' Blocking or unfollowing someone on Instagram is like the Gen Z version of World War Three. It's a sad new low Source A day earlier Brooklyn posted a photo of him, Nicola and sister Those close to Brooklyn Brooklyn had publicly Advertisement Brooklyn's pal insisted: 'Just because he and Nicola love Harper and want to A separate source said: 'Brooklyn was always very close to Romeo and Cruz. They'd stay in touch even as they grew up and started following different career paths and travelling. 'It has been very difficult for David and Victoria to watch their sons grow apart as family means everything to them.' 5 The style was a throwback to the skinhead look Beckham famously debuted during a Premier League match against Leicester City in 2000 Credit: PA Advertisement 5 Dad David with his three sons, from left to right, Romeo, Cruz and Brooklyn Credit: David Dyson - Commissioned by The Sun 5 Parents David and Victoria 'will always be there' for their son Credit: Getty
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
David Beckham is left with a huge BALD patch after DIY haircut blunder – and wife Victoria admits ‘it looks terrible'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) DAVID Beckham was left with a huge BALD patch after suffering a DIY haircut blunder - with Victoria even admitting 'it looks terrible'. The former England captain, 50, had been attempting to recreate his iconic buzz cut at home when the head of his clippers fell off mid-shave, leaving a glaring bald spot on top of his head. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 5 David Beckham was left with a huge BALD patch after suffering a DIY haircut blunder Credit: Instagram 5 The head of his clippers fell off mid-shave, leaving a glaring bald spot on top of his head Credit: Instagram David had already trimmed most of his hair down to stubble, meaning there was little he could do to hide the exposed patch of skin. His wife Victoria shared a video of the aftermath on Instagram, reacting blunty while showing the uneven crop. She told him: 'It does not look good. I'm going to always be honest with you. It looks terrible.' The style was a throwback to the skinhead look Beckham famously debuted during a Premier League match against Leicester City in 2000. He's returned to it several times over the years, and recently named it his favourite look during an interview with close friend Gary Neville on The Overlap podcast. He said: "I always like the skinhead. I always loved the skinhead, because it was easy and you didn't have to do anything with it.' Away from the jokes and laughter, David and Victoria have been left in agony over their explosive family feud. The Beckham brothers are in the 'Gen Z version of World War Three' after Romeo and Cruz blocked Brooklyn on social media. The younger boys are accused of turning their backs on Brooklyn for good, and sending the family deeper into crisis. Model Brooklyn, 26, and wife Nicola, 30, are said to be 'blindsided' after learning of the snub. Beckham family wish Harper happy 14th birthday - amid fears Brooklyn will swerve party in family feud A source said: 'Blocking or unfollowing someone on Instagram is like the Gen Z version of World War Three. It's a sad new low. 'But the truth is, Brooklyn has cut out his parents David and Victoria from his life and it's the same with Romeo and Cruz. "Even when the family have reached out to Brooklyn they have been ignored. 'He's not had contact for months and it feels clear to them that he doesn't want to make amends.' The feud, which The Sun understands started over money, has been bubbling for several months. Yesterday it was initially reported that Brooklyn and Nicola had unfollowed Romeo, 22, and Cruz, 20. But those close to Brooklyn said this was not true. A friend said: 'Brooklyn had no idea until he read about it online. It's possible Romeo and Cruz blocked them, which would make it appear as him no longer following the brothers 'He and Nicola certainly didn't unfollow them or block them — they're as confused as anyone else. 'The first they heard about it was when it was being reported on.' The Beckham Family Feud April 2022: Brooklyn marries Nicola Peltz. Brooklyn marries Nicola Peltz. Wedding Dress Controversy: Rumours begin circulating that there's tension between Nicola and Victoria Beckham after Nicola chooses not to wear a Victoria Beckham-designed wedding gown. Nicola later clarifies in August 2022 (and again in March 2023) that Victoria's atelier couldn't make the dress in time, but reports in May 2025 suggest Victoria actually changed her mind about making the dress. Rumours begin circulating that there's tension between Nicola and Victoria Beckham after Nicola chooses not to wear a Victoria Beckham-designed wedding gown. Nicola later clarifies in August 2022 (and again in March 2023) that Victoria's atelier couldn't make the dress in time, but reports in May 2025 suggest Victoria actually changed her mind about making the dress. Post-Wedding (2022 onwards): Minimal interaction between Nicola and Victoria on social media, and noticeable absence of Nicola at key Beckham family events. Minimal interaction between Nicola and Victoria on social media, and noticeable absence of Nicola at key Beckham family events. Alleged Wedding "Hijack": In May 2025, a source claimed Victoria "ruined" part of the wedding by allegedly hijacking a dance with Marc Anthony, which was meant for Brooklyn and Nicola. Nicola reportedly ran from the room crying. In May 2025, a source claimed Victoria "ruined" part of the wedding by allegedly hijacking a dance with Marc Anthony, which was meant for Brooklyn and Nicola. Nicola reportedly ran from the room crying. March 2025: A resurfaced TikTok of Romeo and Cruz mimicking a "baby voice" (which fans associate with Nicola) sparks speculation of sibling shade. A resurfaced TikTok of Romeo and Cruz mimicking a "baby voice" (which fans associate with Nicola) sparks speculation of sibling shade. April 2025: Brooklyn and Nicola are reportedly absent from Victoria Beckham's 51st birthday celebrations in Miami and her Paris Fashion Week show. Brooklyn and Nicola are reportedly absent from Victoria Beckham's 51st birthday celebrations in Miami and her Paris Fashion Week show. May 2025: David Beckham's 50th Birthday Snub: Brooklyn and Nicola are notably absent from David Beckham's 50th birthday celebrations in London, despite being invited. Reports suggest their absence was due to Brooklyn not wanting to be in the same room as Kim Turnbull, the girlfriend of Romeo who had previously been reported to have been dating Brooklyn, who David allegedly opted to have at the party over Nicola. Brooklyn and Nicola are notably absent from David Beckham's 50th birthday celebrations in London, despite being invited. Reports suggest their absence was due to Brooklyn not wanting to be in the same room as Kim Turnbull, the girlfriend of Romeo who had previously been reported to have been dating Brooklyn, who David allegedly opted to have at the party over Nicola. Rumours emerge of a falling out between Brooklyn and his younger brother Romeo, reportedly due to Romeo's new girlfriend, DJ Kim Turnbull, who allegedly had a past connection with Brooklyn. Reports surface that the Beckham parents are "hurt and disappointed" that Brooklyn is "playing no part in family life." Sources claim that tensions between Brooklyn and Nicola and his parents are "definitely not beyond repair." June 2025: Brooklyn and Nicola reportedly enlist a "crisis team" similar to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for "reputation management" due to the growing media scrutiny. Brooklyn and Nicola reportedly enlist a "crisis team" similar to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for "reputation management" due to the growing media scrutiny. Cruz Beckham posts cryptic lyrics on Instagram that some interpret as a swipe at Brooklyn. July 2025: Reports indicate David and Victoria are "desperate" to reconcile with Brooklyn. Brooklyn publicly wishes his sister Harper a happy 14th birthday on Instagram, tagging Nicola, which is seen as a potential "olive branch" and a rare public message to his family amid the rumored rift. Reports indicate David and Victoria are "desperate" to reconcile with Brooklyn. Brooklyn publicly wishes his sister Harper a happy 14th birthday on Instagram, tagging Nicola, which is seen as a potential "olive branch" and a rare public message to his family amid the rumored rift. Brooklyn UNFOLLOWS his brothers Romeo and Cruz just 24 hours after his birthday message to Harper. Nicola quickly follows suit and also ditches the Beckham bros from her Instagram following. Romeo and Cruz are now also no longer following Brooklyn. Shortly after Brooklyn learned of his brothers' snub, Romeo reposted Justin Bieber's new song Walking Away on his Instagram stories with the caption: 'Yup.' Blocking or unfollowing someone on Instagram is like the Gen Z version of World War Three. It's a sad new low Source A day earlier Brooklyn posted a photo of him, Nicola and sister Harper for the latter's 14th birthday. Those close to Brooklyn denied this was partly meant as an olive branch to his parents. One friend said: 'There is too much water under the bridge.' Brooklyn had publicly snubbed Victoria on Mother's Day this March, and failed to attend any of David's 50th birthday celebrations in May. Brooklyn's pal insisted: 'Just because he and Nicola love Harper and want to show their affection, it doesn't mean they're trying to make amends with the family.' A separate source said: 'Brooklyn was always very close to Romeo and Cruz. They'd stay in touch even as they grew up and started following different career paths and travelling. 'It has been very difficult for David and Victoria to watch their sons grow apart as family means everything to them.' 5 The style was a throwback to the skinhead look Beckham famously debuted during a Premier League match against Leicester City in 2000 Credit: PA 5 Dad David with his three sons, from left to right, Romeo, Cruz and Brooklyn Credit: David Dyson - Commissioned by The Sun
