The weight of 10 trillion gallons of water increased the day’s length by 0.06 microseconds.
NASA recently confirmed that China’s massive Three Gorges Dam, which holds 10 trillion gallons of water along the Yangtze River, has subtly increased the rotation of the Earth by 0.06 microseconds.
China completed the Three Gorges Dam in 2006, and the amount of water it holds has redistributed the earth’s mass along its rotational axis by approximately two centimeters. Researchers emphasized that this change poses no risks to the global systems, but shows how even adjusting the flow of water may have consequences for the entire planet.
Conversely, natural events, such as the 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean, can also shift the Earth’s axis. In that case, the tectonic movements shortened the day by a few microseconds.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy as he serves as Acting NASA Administrator.
- For NASA scientists and researchers as they assess the Earth and the timing of its rotation.
Sources: The News International, Daily Express
