Overview
- NASA told fact-checkers that "The Earth will not lose gravity on Aug. 12, 2026," and noted the total solar eclipse that day has no unusual effect on gravity.
- Reporters and internet searches have found no evidence of any leaked "Project Anchor" file or mentions of it before late 2024.
- Posts spreading the claim cite a precise time of 14:33 GMT, predict seven seconds of weightlessness, and tout apocalyptic figures including tens of millions of deaths and an $89 billion program.
- Experts say the only way to alter Earth’s gravity is to change its mass, and that gravitational waves from black hole collisions are far too weak to cause such an event.
- An early viral version is linked to Instagram user @mr_danya_of, identified in coverage for fabricated stories, yet the rumor continues to circulate across platforms.