Online Rumors of “Earth’s Gravity Interruption” Spark Panic; NASA Clarifies It Is False

Recently, a sensational claim circulating on social media alleged that the Earth would experience a brief “interruption of gravity” at some point this year. Some posts even claimed that the U.S. space agency NASA was secretly advancing a so-called “Project Anchor” to prevent a global disaster. The rumors spread rapidly online and caused concern among parts of the public.

The claims were described in dramatic terms, asserting that on August 12, Earth’s gravity would temporarily disappear, causing people and objects to float before falling back to the ground when gravity returned, potentially leading to massive casualties. Some posts went further by citing alarming death tolls, claiming tens of millions could die, and alleging that NASA had invested as much as USD 89 billion to reduce the impact, intensifying public anxiety.

In response, NASA has publicly denied these claims, stating that they have no scientific basis whatsoever. The agency emphasized that the so-called “Project Anchor” does not exist and that the entire narrative is a typical example of an online hoax. The fact-checking website Snopes also reviewed the claims and confirmed that there is no credible evidence to support them.

NASA further explained that Earth’s gravity is maintained by the planet’s massive overall mass and cannot suddenly disappear in a short period of time. Unless an extremely unlikely and catastrophic scenario were to occur—such as the simultaneous loss of Earth’s internal structure, oceans, water bodies, and atmosphere—a sudden interruption of gravity is not physically possible. In other words, if changes severe enough to affect Earth’s gravity were to occur, human civilization would face a total collapse rather than a brief event lasting only a few seconds.

至于传闻中提到的 8月12日，NASA 指出，当天真正会发生的，只是天文学家早已预测到的 日全食现象。NASA 强调，日全食并不会对地球重力造成任何异常影响。虽然太阳与月球的引力确实会影响潮汐变化，但这些现象早已被科学界充分理解，并不会改变地球的整体引力状态。

Experts noted that such conspiracy theories often spread online due to misunderstandings of basic physical concepts, combined with exaggerated figures and mysterious narratives that easily attract attention and fuel fear. NASA urged the public to remain rational, verify information through reliable sources, and avoid being misled by false claims.

In addition, NASA reminded the public about safety precautions for observing the upcoming total solar eclipse, emphasizing that unless the Sun is completely covered by the Moon during the totality phase, people should never look directly at the Sun with the naked eye and should always use certified solar viewing glasses to prevent irreversible eye damage.