NASA: Three Gorges Dam Alters Earth's Rotation

NASA has confirmed that China's Three Gorges Dam, the world's largest hydroelectric power station, holds such a massive volume of water that it has subtly altered Earth's rotation and axis. By redistributing tens of trillions of gallons of water, the dam has increased the planet's moment of inertia, lengthening the day by about 0.06 microseconds and shifting the rotational axis by roughly 2 centimeters. These measurable changes underscore how large-scale human engineering projects can influence planetary processes. NASA scientists used satellite imagery and space-based observations to document these effects, contributing to broader research about human impacts on Earth's physical systems.