02 May , 14:38
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Chinese mega-dam changed Earth's rotation: sensational statement by NASA scientist
This is reported by TUT.AZ with reference to telegraf.news.
China's grandiose engineering project - the Three Gorges Dam - has not only transformed the landscape of Hubei province but also affected the fundamental characteristics of our planet. Dr. Benjamin Fong Chao, a distinguished geophysicist from the Goddard Space Flight Center (NASA), discovered that the colossal volume of 40 cubic kilometers of water, raised to a height of 175 meters above sea level, redistributed Earth's mass enough to slow down its rotation. As a result, the day became longer by 0.06 microseconds, and the Earth's axis shifted by approximately 2 centimeters.
"When you move mass - you change the planet's rotation. The effect is minimal, but measurable," explains Chao. He compared it to a figure skater who slows down rotation by extending their arms.
The Three Gorges Dam, towering over the Yangtze River in Hubei province, was fully commissioned in 2012. Its impressive dimensions - 2,335 meters in length and 185 meters in height - make it one of the most massive structures created by humans.
However, it's not only engineering structures that affect Earth's rotation. Scientists remind us that the planet has been gradually slowing down since its formation 4.5 billion years ago. The main reason for this is the gravitational influence of the Moon, which is gradually moving away and "braking" the Earth.
Research shows that about 1.4 billion years ago, a day lasted only 18 hours, and over the past 70 million years, days have become half an hour longer. It is estimated that days increase by 1.8 milliseconds every century.
According to microbiologist Gregory Dick from the University of Michigan, the lengthening of the day could have played a key role in saturating the atmosphere with oxygen. A longer daylight period allowed photosynthesizing bacteria to produce more oxygen, contributing to the development of life.
