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NASA: China's Dam Could Shift Earth's Axis

2/12/2025

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Summary

Story summary

NASA reveals that the immense Three Gorges Dam in China, the largest hydroelectric power station on the planet, could influence Earth's rotation. As its reservoir fills, the Earth's axis may shift by two centimeters, and days could lengthen by 0.06 microseconds. This underscores the profound impact of human engineering on our planet's dynamics, prompting a reevaluation of infrastructure's long-term global consequences.

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Story summary

NASA reveals that the immense Three Gorges Dam in China, the largest hydroelectric power station on the planet, could influence Earth's rotation. As its reservoir fills, the Earth's axis may shift by two centimeters, and days could lengthen by 0.06 microseconds. This underscores the profound impact of human engineering on our planet's dynamics, prompting a reevaluation of infrastructure's long-term global consequences.