If the internet is to be believed, Earth is about to have a very strange seven seconds.
A viral conspiracy theory known as "Project Anchor" claims the planet will somehow lose gravity on Aug. 12, 2026, causing people, cars and objects to float before crashing back to Earth. The rumor has exploded across TikTok, Facebook, Reddit, Instagram and other social media platforms, drawing millions of views and prompting one big question:
The short answer: According to the viral claim, a so-called "gravity blackout" is supposed to occur at 14:33 UTC on Aug. 12, 2026, or 9:33 a.m. ET. But NASA says the entire theory is false and that Earth will not lose gravity.
The most widely shared versions of the Project Anchor rumor claim Earth will experience a seven-second gravitational anomaly at 14:33 UTC on Aug. 12, 2026, or 9:33 a.m. ET. The posts often reference an alleged leaked NASA document and claim government agencies are secretly preparing for catastrophic consequences.
The theory has spread rapidly online as the Aug. 12 date approaches, causing searches for terms including "Project Anchor," "gravity blackout," "Earth lose gravity," and "Aug. 12 gravity event" to surge.
Fact-checkers and journalists who investigated the claim found no evidence that a NASA program called "Project Anchor" exists. Searches of public records, NASA materials and online archives have uncovered no credible evidence of a leaked document matching the descriptions circulating on social media.
The theory appears to have gained momentum through viral social media posts repeating the same claims about a seven-second gravity loss event.
A NASA spokesperson told fact-checkers that Earth will not lose gravity on Aug. 12, 2026, and explained that Earth's gravity is determined by the planet's mass. The agency said gravity cannot simply switch off because of a solar eclipse or other celestial event.
NASA also noted that while a total solar eclipse will occur on Aug. 12, 2026, eclipses do not have unusual effects on Earth's gravity.
That's the question driving much of the fascination around the theory.
Scientists say gravity keeps people, oceans, buildings and the atmosphere anchored to Earth's surface. If gravity truly disappeared, even briefly, loose objects could become airborne and chaos would likely follow when gravity returned.
However, experts stress that this scenario is purely hypothetical because there is no scientific basis for believing Earth will lose gravity next week, next month or on Aug. 12, 2026.
The rumor combines several internet favorites:
That combination has helped the theory spread widely online, even as scientists and fact-checkers repeatedly debunk it.
Despite viral claims surrounding Project Anchor, NASA says Earth will not lose gravity on Aug. 12, 2026. The agency says there is no gravity blackout coming, no secret warning and no evidence to support the claim.
Maria Francis is a Pennsylvania-based journalist covering trending and breaking topics across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions for USA Today Network. Reach her at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: What time would Earth lose gravity on Aug. 12? NASA debunks viral claim