NASA has once again addressed and dismissed the recurring myth that Earth will temporarily lose gravity. This claim, linked to a supposed NASA project called “Project Anchor,” has surfaced on social media platforms every year.

Karen Fox, a senior science communicator at NASA, told Newsweek that such conspiracy theories are not new and arise annually. She provided an official statement from NASA affirming that Earth will not experience any loss of gravity. She explained that Earth’s gravity results from its mass, which includes the core, mantle, crust, ocean, terrestrial water, and atmosphere. A loss of gravity would require a significant change in Earth’s combined mass.

Similar claims have been debunked in the past, yet they gained attention on social media as August 12 approached. In a report by Snopes, the “Project Anchor” claim was analyzed and deemed false. The rumor suggested a leaked NASA document from November 2024 that predicted Earth would lose gravity on August 12, 2026, leading to global chaos. Snopes’ investigation found no evidence of any such project existing or being leaked.

This rumor circulated through social media, including an Instagram video alleging NASA was secretly preparing for a seven-second “gravitational anomaly.” These posts claimed NASA had an $89 billion budget for the event and anticipated many casualties, with only select individuals being protected in bunkers.

Today holds astronomical interest due to a total solar eclipse. The eclipse will be visible along a specific path, including Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, the Atlantic Ocean, Spain, and a small part of Portugal. A partial eclipse can be observed in the northern U.S., most of Canada, much of Europe, and northwestern Africa.

NASA clarified that a total solar eclipse does not affect Earth’s gravity. The gravitational pulls of the Sun and Moon influence tidal forces, not Earth’s total gravity, and these effects are predictable long in advance.