Snow, monsoons and oceans shift Earth's center of mass each year, satellite tracking shows

Written and edited by the WorldPing NewsdeskPublished Updated Original reporting: Phys.org
Snow, monsoons and oceans shift Earth's center of mass each year, satellite tracking showsWorldPing
Image via Phys.org.

What happened

Seasonal changes redistribute enough water around Earth to shift the planet's center of mass back and forth by fractions of an inch relative to its geometric center.

Key facts

  • Reported by Phys.org and published Wed, 16 Sep 2026 20:30:01 UTC.

Why it matters

Research findings and mission results set the evidence base that policy, funding and later discoveries build on.

What to watch next

  • Peer review status and replication of the findings
  • Mission milestones and next scheduled attempt
  • Funding or policy decisions that follow

Coverage timeline

When each newsroom published on this story, oldest first — all times UTC.

  1. NASA Watches Earth’s Weight, Finds Center of Mass

  2. Satellite data gives clearer picture of how ice sheets are losing mass

  3. Snow, monsoons and oceans shift Earth's center of mass each year, satellite tracking shows

  4. AI can be more comforting than a person—our research shows why

Sources

The original report was published by Phys.org. WorldPing does not claim that reporting — this page summarises and contextualises it.

Read the full report at Phys.org

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