A new study finds that Earth’s center of mass is not perfectly stationary. Instead, it shifts subtly over the year and across longer timescales, with seasonal movement measured down to millimeters. The work reports that the seasonal drift is smaller than some earlier expectations.
Determining Earth’s center of mass matters for understanding how the planet’s mass is redistributed by natural processes. While both outlets note that the center of mass is, in a broad sense, near the middle of the planet, the research focuses on very small departures that only become clear with high-precision measurements. The millimeter-level results are presented as a way to better characterize Earth’s internal and surface dynamics.
Universe Today emphasizes the updated measurement of the seasonal drift magnitude, while Phys.org frames the question as more technically significant than it might appear and highlights why achieving millimeter accuracy enables new insights. Neither outlet disputes the core finding that the drift occurs; they mainly differ in how they explain its importance.
