How Groundwater Depletion Is Shifting Earth’s Pole and Impacting Our Future

Highlights

A groundbreaking study reveals how excessive groundwater extraction is causing Earth's rotational pole to shift.

A study in Geophysical Research Letters found that using too much groundwater is causing Earth's rotational pole to shift

The research, led by Ki-Weon Seo from Seoul National University, showed that between 1993 and 2010, the pole moved 80 centimeters east because of this.

During this time, about 2,150 gigatons of groundwater were taken out.

This caused a small rise in sea levels and changed the way Earth's mass is spread out. As a result, the Earth's pole shifted by about 4.36 centimeters each year.

The study explains that the way Earth spins is affected by how mass is spread around the planet.

Groundwater depletion has caused a bigger shift in the pole than things like melting ice.

Places like western North America and northwestern India have used a lot of groundwater. The shift in the pole isn't affecting weather or seasons right now, but it might in the future.

The study reminds us to use water wisely. If we use less groundwater, it could slow down the pole's shift and help prevent climate problems later.

Everyone needs to work together to manage water and protect the Earth.