Humans have modified the distribution of water on Earth sufficiently to change the planet’s tilt, according to a new research.
Previous studies suggested that people drew more than 2 trillion tons of groundwater between 1993 and 2010. According to the study, this water migrated to towns and farmland before draining into the sea, elevating global sea levels by around a quarter of an inch.
The changing location of the Earth’s rotating pole — the point around which the globe spins — is proof of this transition, according to new study. Scientists discovered that the recent drift of the rotating pole could not be adequately explained without the influence of groundwater pumping after comparing a computer model of the pole with observable variations in its position.
From 1993 to 2010, they determined, humans redistributed enough water to move the rotational pole roughly 31 inches.
(a) and 
(b) variations for 1993–2010. Red lines are observed PM excitation (
, 
) and blue lines are estimated from all known sources shown in blue lines in Figure 1. Barometric pressure, ocean bottom pressure, atmospheric wind and ocean current contributions are also included. Black lines show estimated PM excitation due to groundwater depletion.“As a resident of Earth and a father, I’m concerned and surprised to see that pumping groundwater is another source of sea-level rise.” 🙁
Reference- YALE E360 story, Journal Geophysical Research Letters, Seoul National University,