Last updated on February 12th, 2026
Claim
A post by X user @HustleBitch, claiming “NASA IS HIDING GRAVITY BLACKOUT ON EARTH—INTERNET ERUPTS,” quickly gained attention on social media platform X, garnering 1.8 million views and 9.5 thousand interactions. The post claims the existence of a secret NASA document titled Project Anchor with a budget of $89 billion, stating that it aims to prepare humans to face gravitational anomalies for seven seconds on August 12, 2026.
The post references a video posted by TikTok user @fiery_by_nature on January 5th. The video’s on-screen picture states: “On August 12, 2026, the world will lose gravity for 7 seconds. NASA knows. They’re preparing but won’t tell us why.”
On February 4, 2026, TikTok user @Ysk_cllpz_ echoed this claim and further mentioned that the event would result from the collision of gravitational waves produced by two black holes, causing over 40 million casualties due to falls.
Fact Check
1. NASA’s Statement
NASA has officially refuted the claim that “Earth will lose gravity for seven seconds in 2026.” A spokesperson stated via email to the fact-checking outlet Snopes that gravity is a constant, fundamental force tied to mass, and cannot be temporarily disabled.
NASA has not confirmed Project Anchor. FactHunter found no public records, budget documents, or agency statements referencing such a program or a “gravity blackout.” No $89 billion project by that name exists in any official filings.
2. Scientific Principles
(1) The Principle of Gravity
According to Britannica, all objects with mass exert a mutual force of attraction upon one another. Earth’s gravitational force is determined by its mass (M), the universal gravitational constant (G), and the distance (r) from its center, with mass (M) being the dominant factor.
Thus, “Disappearance of gravity” is physically equivalent to claiming “the disappearance of Earth’s mass,” violating the Law of Conservation of Mass-Energy.
(2) Gravitational Waves
After a review of the U.S. LIGO website, it is explained that gravitational waves are extremely faint “ripples in spacetime. Even the most violent black hole merger produces gravitational waves so minute by the time they reach Earth that they require the most sensitive instruments, such as LIGO, for detection.
(3) The Celestial System
As CK-foundation stated, all objects in the universe have an attraction to each other. And this attraction is what we known as gravity. Gravity is also the force that keeps the Moon circling Earth. Gravity keeps Earth circling the Sun. Without gravity, these objects would fly off into space.
3. Expert Analysis
(1)In the China Central Television(CCTV) science program “Truth Quest,” Xu Changyi, Associate Researcher at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, clarified a fundamental scientific principle: Earth’s gravity is determined by its mass and therefore cannot cease to exist.
(2)In response to the viral claim that people and objects would float during a 7-second weightless period, Chinese astrophysicist Dr. Sun Zhengfan clarified in a science article published on Xinhua Net that the actual outcome of Earth’s gravity vanishing would be catastrophic: objects would be hurled into space at tremendous speed—not just float upward.
4. Event Analysis
According to NASA’s official records, a total solar eclipse is indeed scheduled to occur on August 12, 2026.
It is important to clarify, however, that a solar eclipse is solely an optical phenomenon caused by the Moon obscuring the Sun, which affects only light levels and produces only normal tidal fluctuations.
On August 12, 2026, a total solar eclipse will sweep across the Arctic, Greenland, Iceland, and northern Spain. Such celestial events are a regular occurrence. NASA’s information does not associate this event with any alteration in Earth’s gravity.
5. Public Comments Analysis
While the scientific reality of a solar eclipse is clear, public discourse on social media often presents a different picture. To understand the prevailing online narrative, this analysis employs AI-powered tools to examine 393 relevant comments collected from social media platform X between January 6 and February 6, 2026.The findings presented are based exclusively on data that was publicly accessible through X’s front-end interface as of the data collection cutoff date. The key viewpoints are summarized below:
The posts overwhelmingly reject and ridicule the claim that gravity can be turned off or lost temporarily, labeling it as a hoax, misinformation, or conspiracy theory. Many emphasize the scientific impossibility of such an event, citing physics principles and the nature of gravity. There is a strong tone of frustration and mockery toward those spreading or believing in these ideas, with some posts calling out the lack of logic and scientific basis. While a few posts entertain conspiracy theories or sarcastic comments, the dominant sentiment is critical and dismissive of the “gravity blackout” claim.
6. Dissemination Patterns Analysis
The claim employs a classic pseudoscience dissemination strategy. First, it grafts itself onto a real event by forcibly linking the completely unscientific claim of “Earth’s loss of gravity” to the genuine total solar eclipse on August 12, 2026, exploiting public interest in celestial phenomena to generate buzz.
Second, it creates a false sense of credibility by invoking authoritative institutions like NASA, lending the claim a deceptive appearance of legitimacy.
Finally, it weaponizes detail, fabricating specific casualty figures (e.g., “40 million”) and vivid disaster scenarios designed to bypass logical scrutiny, provoke public anxiety, and undermine rational discourse.
Verdict
False.
The claim forms a complete chain of disinformation dissemination, progressing from “event association” to “source fabrication,” and finally to “detail dramatization.” All its core claims are entirely inconsistent with thoroughly established laws of physics and publicly available information from authoritative scientific institutions, classifying it as pseudoscientific misinformation.
The public is strongly advised to remain vigilant against fabricators seeking to exploit such hoaxes for online traffic and commercial gain.
When encountering such information, the public should first verify whether it originates from official channels of relevant institutions and apply rational judgment based on fundamental scientific principles.
Have a questionable video or claim? Submit it to Fact Hunter’s investigation team at [therealfacthunter@outlook.com].
Primary Fact Checker: Lei Ting
Secondary Fact Checker: Li Yiwen
