NASA refutes viral claim that Earth's gravity will vanish for seven seconds on Aug 12 2026

A claim circulating on TikTok, Instagram and other platforms asserted that on 12 August 2026 the planet’s gravity would disappear for seven seconds, causing people and objects to be flung upward and resulting in millions of deaths. The rumor, popular in Turkish social media, cited a supposed secret "Project Anchor" and predicted catastrophic impacts.

NASA officials responded through a statement to fact‑checking site Snopes, explaining that no scientific evidence supports any temporary loss of gravity. They noted that gravity is a function of Earth’s mass, and for it to vanish the planet’s entire mass would have to disappear instantly, which is physically impossible. Physics experts echoed this, saying even strong gravitational waves cannot produce such an effect. Snopes classified the claim as false.

The agency’s clarification aimed to counter misinformation and urged the public to rely on reputable scientific sources.