More big earthquakes in 2018 as Earth slows slightly, theory suggestsStuff / Getty Images / Reuters More big earthquakes in 2018 as Earth slows slightly, theory suggests. Two US scientists have come up with a theory that suggests a big increase in devastating earthquakes, particularly near the Equator, in 2018 following a tiny slowing in the Earth's rotation. The slowdown in Earth's rotation is tiny - a millisecond a day sometimes - which can be measured by atomic clocks. The link between the Earth's rotation and the number of big earthquakes was unclear, but slight changes in the behaviour of the Earth's core could be causing both effects. Most of the intense earthquakes that responded to changes in day length seemed to occur near the Equator, Bilham said.

Source: Stuff November 19, 2017 19:36 UTC