For years, scientists have monitored Earth’s slight wobble as it spins, but new research suggests human activity has directly influenced the planet’s rotation. A study published in Geophysical Research Letters reveals that between 1993 and 2010, excessive groundwater extraction shifted Earth’s rotational axis by a staggering 80 centimeters.

The research found that humans pumped around 2,150 gigatons of groundwater—enough to raise global sea levels by 6.24mm.

When redistributed into the oceans, this water wasn’t just increasing sea levels; it was physically moving mass around the planet, altering its balance. Scientists have long known that factors like ice sheet melt and ocean currents can impact Earth’s tilt, but this study confirms that groundwater depletion is the second-largest contributor to this phenomenon.

The study used climate models and observational data to determine how water movement affects the planet’s pole shift. Initially, models accounted for melting glaciers and ice sheets but failed to explain the full extent of Earth’s drift. When groundwater depletion was factored in, the model aligned precisely with real-world observations, confirming that large-scale water redistribution is a key driver.

According to the research, the majority of the extracted groundwater came from mid-latitude regions like North America and India, where excessive irrigation has drained underground aquifers at an unsustainable rate.

Since groundwater, once extracted, doesn’t return to its original location, it permanently alters the planet’s mass distribution, further impacting Earth’s rotation. While this shift doesn’t pose an immediate risk, it underscores the dramatic impact human activity can have on our planet.

This discovery raises concerns about the long-term effects of groundwater depletion. While an 80cm shift in Earth’s axis won’t drastically impact the seasons, it could gradually influence climate patterns.

Scientists stress that this finding adds to the growing list of consequences of unsustainable water use—beyond depleting freshwater reserves and contributing to sea level rise, human activity is physically shifting the planet.