It was quite a leap.
Conspiracy theorists are being brought back down to Earth after NASA scientists debunked a wild claim that the space agency was hiding knowledge about an event that could result in millions of deaths and injuries.
Proponents of the bizarre theory believed a leaked “secret” document had been leaked in November 2024, revealing NASA’s “Project Anchor” — to prepare Earth for an event so catastrophic that a reported 40 million people on Earth would die from the impact.
The theory stated that on August 12 of this year, at exactly 14:33 GMT (9:33 ET), Earth will lose gravity for seven seconds.
“If this is fake, why does it have a date, a project name, and a budget?” asked one incredulous X user.
Turns out this is just another case of social media mischief, as internet sleuths have found no trace of any leaked document or mention of “Project Anchor.” Meanwhile, NASA experts have pointed out that the theory itself demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of how gravity works.
The origin of the theory is murky, though one of the earliest known viral references had come from the Instagram account @mr_danya_of, including details about the alleged “$89 million” that NASA earmarked for so-called “Project Anchor.”
“On August 12, 2026, the world will lose gravity for seven seconds. NASA knows. They’re preparing but won’t tell us why,” they declared.
“Infrastructure destruction. Economic Collapse lasting over ten years. Mass panic,” they mused, estimating that 40 million people of Earth would die from falls.”
According to the theory, the phenomenon would be caused by ” the intersection of gravitational waves” produced when black holes collide.
However, the account of @mr_danya_of is well-known for producing entirely fabricated reports — though that didn’t stop trolls from embellishing the outlandish “Project Anchor” theory, such as one reader who added that “a Total Eclipse of the Sun will pass over the Arctic Ocean” at the same time.
Snopes reporters reached out to NASA for answers. “The Earth will not lose gravity on August 12, 2026,” a spokesman told the fact–checking website.
The expert went on to give readers a basic science lesson in gravitational physics.
“Earth’s gravity, or total gravitational force, is determined by its mass,” they continued. “The only way for the Earth to lose gravity would be for the Earth system, the combined mass of its core, mantle, crust, ocean, terrestrial water, and atmosphere, to lose mass.”
Dr William Alston, a black hole expert from the University of Hertfordshire, further explained in the Daily Mail that colliding black holes are “so weak that we have had to build the most sensitive detection equipment to see them,” let alone feel the impact on Earth.”
“These ripples [caused by colliding black holes] routinely pass through Earth and ourselves, very subtly squeezing and stretching us; however, this is so small — many times smaller than the size of an atom — that this change goes by completely unnoticed.”
The post Will gravity disappear from Earth on August 12? NASA reveals truth behind bizarre conspiracy theory appeared first on New York Post.
