Earth Is “Wobbling” More Than Previously Thought, But Scientists Now Know Why

By Pune Media On May 26, 2025

For thousands of years, scientists have known that the Earth is tilted on its axis. In addition to this steady tilt of 23.5 degrees, scientists discovered over 130 years ago that the Earth experiences a subtle “wobble,” known as the Chandler Wobble.

This phenomenon, which temporarily causes the planet’s spin axis to drift slightly over the course of 433 days, follows a predictable pattern. However, researchers recently discovered that the Earth is wobbling more than they previously thought, possibly signaling a more permanent change to its rotation.

Here’s an in-depth look at the reason for this axis shift and what it means for the planet’s future.

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Why Is The Earth “Wobbling” More Than Previously Thought?

Scientists have known for a long time that the Earth’s axis drifts slightly over time due to natural shifts in mass across the planet. However, a recent study published in Science revealed that the Earth’s axis has wobbled more than expected since the early 2000s.

What surprised scientists the most was that, instead of glaciers melting at a rate of three Olympic pools per second, movement in the Earth’s core, or pressure changes, the 45-centimeter shift was caused mainly by extreme soil moisture loss. Between 2000 and 2002, more than 1,600 gigatonnes of water disappeared from the soil. That’s more than the amount of water Greenland lost in ice over a longer span of time.

But where did the water go? To uncover this, researchers at Seoul National University in South Korea used satellite radar data and soil moisture models to track the Earth’s water stores.

They found that water entered the oceans as the soil dried out, drastically raising global sea levels and throwing the planet off balance.

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What Caused The Sudden Drop In Soil Moisture?

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View of a dried river caused by a drought.

According to researchers involved in the study, the decrease in soil moisture worldwide between 2000 and 2002 was likely due to several factors.

The Earth’s vapor pressure deficit (VPD), which measures how much moisture the atmosphere demands, increased rapidly amid rising global temperatures. As a result, the air became drier, which depleted the water in the soil.

In addition to the atmosphere’s increased need for moisture, severe droughts during these years contributed to soil moisture loss.

“It used to be that when precipitation goes up again, we recover water in the soil. But because of this increasing evaporative demand, once we have strong El Niño years – which lead to much less rainfall for a year or two – it seems that we are not recovering the water fully because of increasing evaporative demand,” – Dongryeol Ryu, joint-lead author and professor of hydrology and remote sensing at the University of Melbourne, told Carbon Brief.

According to Ryu, the Earth’s water stores have not recovered despite unprecedented heavy rains in historically dry regions like the Sahara Desert.

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What Does Earth’s Increased Wobble Mean For The Future?

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Rice field irrigation using pumped groundwater.

Scientists once believed the Earth’s Chandler Wobble would eventually go away. However, researchers found that another 1,000 gigatonnes of water disappeared from the soil even after 2003, signaling that the wobble is likely here to stay.

While a 45-centimeter wobble might seem minor, it’s part of a larger and more concerning cycle of droughts. As soil continues to dry out, less moisture enters the atmosphere, which reduces cloud formation and rainfall.

One major concern of worldwide droughts is that more people will need to rely on groundwater as surface water becomes scarce.

“This puts global water security at even greater risk, since much of the pumped groundwater will never be replenished,” – Professor and study co-author Jay Famiglietti told BBC Science Focus.

Pumping groundwater can temporarily relieve water shortages but often leads to more severe problems, especially in regions where the water can’t be replenished faster than it is pumped.

Some of the negative impacts include:

Lowered Water Table:	If the water table becomes too low, wells may not be able to reach groundwater.
Increased Costs:	Pumping water further as the groundwater table lowers is more expensive and uses more energy.
Reduced Surface Water:	Water sources like lakes, streams, and rivers may be depleted.
Land Subsidence:	The overuse of groundwater can cause soil to collapse.
Diminished Water Quality:	Saltwater contamination can occur due to overpumping groundwater.

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Scientists believe the Earth’s increased wobble will persist as long as global warming does. However, this discovery could help researchers make more accurate predictions about the climate in the future.

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