The claim that China’s Three Gorges Dam altered Earth’s rotation has resurfaced online, sparking debates about the engineering marvel’s global impact. While the dam holds an enormous 39.3 billion cubic meters of water, NASA scientists confirm that such a redistribution of mass can technically affect Earth’s rotation. The shift is incredibly small, causing a theoretical microsecond change in the length of a day and a minuscule alteration in the planet’s axis by about 2 centimeters. These effects, though scientifically valid, are so minor that they are imperceptible to human life or natural processes.
Built to generate clean energy and reduce flooding, the Three Gorges Dam has been hailed as a feat of engineering, providing 22.5 gigawatts of hydroelectric power. However, it has also drawn criticism for its environmental and social consequences, including the displacement of over 1 million people and disruption of ecosystems. While the viral claim exaggerates the dam’s planetary impact, it underscores the broader conversation about the balance between technological advancements and their environmental and societal costs. More