The 2010 Chile earthquake was so powerful, it didn’t just rattle cities—it sped up time.

The magnitude 8.8 quake shifted massive amounts of Earth's mass closer to the planet’s rotational axis. Just like a figure skater spinning faster by pulling in their arms, Earth’s rotation picked up speed—ever so slightly.

NASA scientists calculated that the earthquake shortened the length of a day by about 1.26 microseconds. That’s a millionth of a second, but on a planetary scale, it’s a reminder that even time isn’t immune to tectonic drama.