Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Space
Space
Science
Rebecca Sohn

What would happen if Earth stopped spinning?

Gif animation showing Earth spinning, there is a little graphic in the top right corner that reads "space mysteries".

Even though Earth is always spinning, we can't feel it, and you probably take it for granted. But what would happen if it stopped?

If Earth suddenly stopped spinning, it would be catastrophic. Almost everyone and everything not attached to the planet would continue to move at the current speed of Earth's rotation, around 1,000 mph (1,600 km/h) at its fastest, which is along the equator.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.