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China's largest hydroelectric dam is slowing down the Earth's rotation. Learn how this gigantic engineering feat is affecting our planet.
It's no secret that China impresses the world with its gigantic infrastructure projects. However, one of these constructions is literally shaking up the planet in unexpected ways.
The Plant hydroelectric of the Three Gorges, the largest in the world, is not only a masterpiece of engineering, but also a phenomenon that is affecting the rotation of the Earth, albeit in a subtle way.
Opened in 2012, after 18 years of work on the Yangtze River, in Hubei province, this hydroelectric plant was already recognized for its gigantic energy potential.
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With an installed capacity of 22.500 megawatts (MW) and with a storage capacity of more than 39 billion cubic meters of water, this dam quickly stood out as the largest hydroelectric plant in operation in the world.
But what few imagined was that it would have a direct impact on the Earth's rotation itself, something that scientific studies have been proving over the years.
According to IFLScience portal, this massive construction is altering, even if minimally, the way the planet rotates.
How can a hydroelectric power plant change the planet's rotation?
It seems like an absurd idea, but the Three Gorges Dam is, in fact, influencing the Earth's inertia.
According to studies, the volume of water that is displaced and retained by the dam directly affects the distribution of mass on the planet.
This phenomenon is reminiscent of what happens to a skater when they bring their arms closer to their body during a turn, resulting in acceleration or deceleration.
In the case of hydroelectric power, the effect is a slight slowing of the Earth's rotation.
But how significant is this impact? Research indicates that change is only 0,06 microseconds in the daily rotation time.
To us, this value seems irrelevant, but according to scientist C. Nilsson, in the article “Reservoirs”, published in Reference Module in Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences, is a real and measurable change.
This small variation may not directly affect people's daily lives, but it has scientific implications that are still being investigated.
Other unexpected consequences due to the Three Gorges dam
In addition to changing the rotation, this redistribution of mass also causes a change in the Earth's axis.
According to estimates, the Earth's pole has been shifted by about two centimeters since the construction of the dam.
Once again, this variation may seem small, but it is relevant in studies on the planet's behavior.
The accuracy of devices such as atomic clocks, which measure time extremely accurately, may be slightly compromised by these changes.
Some experts believe that in the future it will be necessary to make adjustments to global time standards.
One of the solutions considered due to the work in China is the introduction of a “negative leap second” in the coming decades, to compensate for this small but important change.
The role of human activities on the planet
Human actions do not affect the planet only with large constructions. climate change also plays a fundamental role in the redistribution of land mass.
O melting of the polar ice caps and rising sea levels in tropical regions are contributing to a slight slowdown in the Earth's rotation.
This redistribution occurs because the ice mass that was concentrated in the polar regions is migrating towards the equator, altering the planet's dynamics.
Although these changes are subtle, they raise important questions about the impact of human activities on the planet.
The Three Gorges Power Plant is one of the greatest examples of how architecture and modern engineering have the power to shape the environment in which we live.
But at the same time, it also serves as a reminder of the responsibilities that this power imposes.
Three Gorges Dam: a power that demands responsibility
The construction of this immense dam and its capacity to modify natural phenomena, such as the Earth's rotation, should lead us to deep reflection.
According to the IFLScience portal, although these changes are imperceptible in everyday life, they demonstrate that human actions can have global consequences that go far beyond what we imagine.
This case highlights how important it is to think about the environmental and natural consequences of our large infrastructure projects.
As insignificant as the numbers may seem, the cumulative impact of these actions over time can generate significant changes.
A Three Gorges Dam clearly highlights the delicate balance that needs to be maintained between technological development and care for the planet.
When thinking about all these transformations, a crucial question arises: Could our activities one day cause even more severe changes to the planet?
The Three Gorges Dam in China is just one example of many massive projects underway around the world. Are we underestimating the impact they could have on the future of the Earth?
