NASA says this enormous construction in China is slowing down Earth
NASA has revealed a surprising connection between human engineering and planetary dynamics. China’s Three Gorges Dam, the largest hydroelectric project in the world, has been found to slightly slow Earth’s rotation by 0.06 microseconds per day. This phenomenon arises from the dam’s massive reservoir, which redistributes Earth's mass and subtly alters its moment of inertia. This finding underscores the profound and often unforeseen consequences of large-scale human activities on natural systems.
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How the Dam Affects Earth's Rotation
The Three Gorges Dam’s reservoir holds an immense 40 billion cubic metres of water, causing a significant redistribution of mass on Earth. As this water accumulates, it changes the distribution of weight across the planet's surface, altering its rotational dynamics. Benjamin Fong Chao, a NASA scientist, explained, “Redistribution of mass within the Earth's system produces an effect on Earth's rotation. While the delay of 0.06 microseconds per day may seem negligible, it is a measurable consequence of this redistribution.” The effect follows the principle that moving mass closer to the poles speeds up Earth's rotation, while shifting it toward the equator slows it down.
Engineering Marvel with Global Implications
The Three Gorges Dam stands as a testament to human ingenuity, towering 185 metres above the Yangtze River and spanning over 2 kilometres. It generates an astounding 22,500 megawatts of electricity, a capacity surpassing many nations' energy production. In 2020, it set a record by producing 112
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