OT: Earth's orbit changing?

[Kamog]

According to this article: http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/science....ap/index.html

Since 1972, they have been adding a 'leap second' at the end of each year because the earth's movement through space is slowing down. But for some reason, in the most recent five years, the earth is no longer slowing down and they didn't have to add the leap second. They don't know why.

It seems to me that one second per year is a really big change, and it will really add up over millions of years? If the earth keeps slowing down like that, wouldn't the orbit decay and the earth spiral into the sun?

[Edit: mark topic as OT]

[ January 01, 2004, 17:49: Message edited by: Kamog ]