NASA Debunks Earth Losing Gravity Myths Amid Eclipse

NASA has once again addressed debunked claims suggesting Earth will temporarily lose gravity on Wednesday. Social media has seen a surge in such claims, wrongly connecting them to a supposed leaked NASA project called ‘Project Anchor.’

Karen Fox, a senior science communicator at NASA, informed Newsweek that this conspiracy theory resurfaces annually. According to a statement she provided on Wednesday, the Earth will not experience a loss of gravity. Earth’s gravity, or total gravitational force, is determined by its mass. The only way for the Earth to lose gravity would be for the Earth system, which includes its core, mantle, crust, ocean, terrestrial water, and atmosphere, to lose mass.

Despite previous efforts to clarify these claims, the topic has regained traction on social platforms as August 12 approaches.

In January, Snopes, a fact-checking outlet, investigated the ‘Project Anchor’ claim, which had started circulating online. The rumor alleged that a confidential NASA document leaked in November 2024 warned of Earth’s temporary loss of gravity on August 12, 2026, potentially leading to mass casualties and global disruption. Snopes classified the claim as false after failing to find credible evidence of any such NASA project being leaked.

The rumor has spread through copy-and-paste social media posts, including an Instagram video claiming NASA is preparing for a seven-second ‘gravitational anomaly’ while keeping the public in the dark. The posts included exaggerated details, such as an alleged $89 billion budget, predictions of high fatalities, and suggestions that only selected officials and specialists would be protected in bunkers.

Today’s date bears astronomical significance due to a total solar eclipse, which will be visible along a path through Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, the Atlantic Ocean, Spain, and a small part of Portugal. Countries in the Northern Hemisphere, including parts of the northern U.S. (from Alaska to North Carolina), most of Canada, much of Europe, and northwestern Africa, will witness a partial eclipse, as stated by NASA.

NASA’s statement clarified that a total solar eclipse does not have unusual effects on Earth’s gravity. While the gravitational pull of the Sun and Moon influences tidal forces, these interactions do not change Earth’s total gravity and are predictable many years in advance.