NASA reveals how THIS act of China has slowed the rotation of Earth, questions if Xi Jinping plans to destroy...

Planet Earth is our unique home in the vast universe, providing the environment and resources necessary for life to thrive. Earth has everything it needs for life, including oxygen, water, and a climate that supports diverse ecosystems. A key feature of our planet is its rotation, which creates the cycle of day and night. Every 24 hours, the Earth completes one full rotation from west to east. But what if we told you that a massive human-made structure is affecting this rotation? Let’s dive into the findings shared by NASA.

Recent research by NASA has uncovered an interesting link between human engineering and the Earth’s rotation. The discovery centers on China’s Three Gorges Dam, the world’s largest hydroelectric project. It turns out that the dam’s enormous reservoir, which holds an immense 40 billion cubic meters of water, is causing a slight slowdown in Earth’s rotation. According to reports, this effect is so subtle that it reduces the Earth's rotation by just 0.06 microseconds each day. But how does this happen?

The reason behind this tiny slowdown is the redistribution of Earth’s mass. As the water from the reservoir accumulates, it shifts the weight across the planet’s surface. This change alters Earth’s moment of inertia—the way the planet spins. Essentially, moving mass toward the equator, like the water in the Three Gorges Dam, causes Earth to slow down, while moving mass closer to the poles would speed it up.

Benjamin Fong Chao, a NASA scientist, explained that even though the 0.06 microseconds may seem insignificant, it’s still measurable. The redistribution of mass impacts Earth’s rotation in ways that scientists are still exploring.

The Three Gorges Dam is an impressive engineering marvel, standing 185 meters tall above the Yangtze River and stretching over 2 kilometers. It generates a staggering 22,500 megawatts of electricity, which is more than the energy produced by some entire countries. In 2020, the dam set a record by generating 112 terawatt-hours of electricity. While it serves as a major source of renewable energy, this research highlights how large-scale human projects can influence natural systems in unexpected ways.

This discovery about the Three Gorges Dam is a reminder of the powerful connection between human activities and the natural world, even affecting something as fundamental as the Earth's rotation.