Top Stories· August 17, 2026 at 01:50 p.m.
NASA's Gravity Model Reveals Earth's Potato-Like Shape
Key takeaways
- NASA has released a visualization of Earth's geoid
- The geoid reveals an Earth resembling a potato due to gravitational variations
- Differences in mass distribution cause these variations
NASA has released a visualization of the geoid, the apparent real shape of Earth when considering global ocean surface under gravity and rotation influences. This model reveals an Earth that resembles a potato due to variations in gravitational pull.
The geoid is created by differences in the Earth's mass distribution, which affects the strength of gravity at different locations. These variations are caused by factors such as mountains, oceans, and tectonic plates.
This new visualization provides a unique perspective on our planet's shape and could have implications for various fields, including geodesy, climate science, and navigation.
