Chile earthquake Earth Axis

The Chile Earthquake that rocked the South American country and claimed hundreds of lives may also have shortened the length of a day on Earth by moving the planet's axis by about 3 inches. NASA Scientist Richard Gross says the 8.8-magnitude earthquake may have made our planet's days shorter by 1.26 microseconds. The Earth's rotation was likely affected by the shift in the planet's mass, which could cause it to spin faster.

While the planet's tilt influences the seasons, allowing for winter, spring, summer and fall, scientists say it would take a far greater change in the Earth's axis to affect them.

Scientists believe other quakes, such as the 2004 9.1-magnitude earthquake in Sumatra, have also decreased the Earth's day. That quake is believed to have shortened it by 6.8 microseconds, and altered the axis by nearly 7 inches.