NASA debunks viral conspiracy about Earth losing gravity

NASA has officially debunked a viral conspiracy theory claiming that Earth will lose its gravity for approximately seven seconds on August 12, 2026. The disinformation, which has spread widely across platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and X, alleges that a secret NASA program called ‘Project Anchor’ was created to prepare for this catastrophic event.

The hoax claims that intersecting gravitational waves from colliding black holes would cause people, vehicles, and even oceans to float into the air, potentially resulting in tens of millions of deaths. NASA clarified that Earth’s gravity is determined by its mass and cannot simply disappear without a fundamental change to the planet's physical matter. The agency confirmed there is no evidence of a ‘Project Anchor’ or any such gravitational anomaly.

While a total solar eclipse is scheduled for August 12, 2026—visible in parts of Greenland, Iceland, Spain, and Russia—scientists emphasize that eclipses and planetary alignments do not affect the planet’s overall gravitational pull. Experts noted that while gravitational waves from cosmic events do pass through Earth, they are far too subtle to be felt by humans.