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The Colossal Dam That Actually Affects Earth's Rotation
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News18•16-10-2026, 14:20
The Colossal Dam That Actually Affects Earth's Rotation
- •The Three Gorges Dam built on the Yangtze River in China is recognized as the world's largest hydroelectric power station.
- •According to NASA scientists, the massive structure and the humongous volume of water stored in the dam can affect the speed of the Earth's rotation.
- •Storing about 40 cubic kilometers of water in its reservoir can increase the length of a day on Earth by about 0.06 microseconds.
- •This minor shift in the Earth's mass distribution causes a change so infinitesimal that ordinary humans cannot even feel it.
- •Aside from generating 22500 megawatts of electricity, the mammoth project plays a vital role in flood control and river navigation.
Key Questions Answered
The dam is known as the Three Gorges Dam, and it is built on the Yangtze River in Hubei Province, China.
According to NASA scientists, storing about 40 cubic kilometers of water in its reservoir could increase the length of an Earth day by about 0.06 microseconds.
Construction on the massive hydroelectric project began in 1994. The dam is approximately 2,335 meters long and about 185 meters high.
