The dam in China slowed down the Earth's rotation - NASA

The Three Gorges Dam, located in China's Hubei province and the world's largest hydroelectric power station, has been found to have affected the Earth's rotation rate and lengthened the length of the day, NASA scientists have announced.

This huge structure, built on the Yangtze River, was commissioned in 2012 and is 2,335 meters long and 185 meters high. The dam's reservoir holds about 40 cubic kilometers of water, or 38 trillion liters. This amount of water is located 175 meters above sea level.

NASA representative Dr. Benjamin Fong Chao noted that the dam's impact has changed the distribution of mass on the Earth, which in turn has slowed down the planet's rotation and lengthened the day by 0.06 microseconds. The position of the Earth's axis has also shifted by 2 centimeters. Although the changes are very small, modern devices are able to detect them.

The Three Gorges Dam, which has such a global impact, is one of the largest engineering wonders ever built on Earth, and its impact on the environment is being discussed. This information from NASA has further increased public attention.

Chinese scientists, however, emphasize that this facility plays a significant role in the region's energy supply and has improved the lives of millions of people. However, environmentalists continue to express concerns about the long-term impact of the dam on nature.

It is very interesting and thought-provoking to witness the impact of the world's largest hydroelectric power plant on planet Earth. Time will tell what other changes such constructions can cause in the future. Read 'Zamin' on Telegram!