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Moon Wobble is Unlikely to Cause Apocalyptic Flooding

Layne Radlauer Layne Radlauer
Science
17th July 2021
Moon Wobble is Unlikely to Cause Apocalyptic Flooding
Climate change is a large contributing factor to flooding (Getty Images).

The Claim

NASA predicts that a shift in the tides caused by irregularities in the moon’s orbit will lead to cataclysmic flooding on the coastline.

Emerging story

This week, news outlets have been publishing articles stating that NASA is warning of impending cataclysmic floods caused by “moon wobbles” in the 2030s.

A supporting image within the article body
A supporting image within the article body

Social media users responded as they often do: with jokes.

A supporting image within the article body
A supporting image within the article body

Misbar’s Analysis

The moon’s orbit isn’t perfectly circular. As a result, sometimes the moon gets closer to the planet than expected. When this happens, it affects up the tides. This is a slow process colloquially called “moon wobbles.”

News outlets reporting on the impending 2030s moon wobble appear to have oversimplified the matter. The news articles refer to a study published by NASA – not an official NASA statement.

A supporting image within the article body

The study doesn’t claim that the moon wobble alone will cause violent flooding. Rather, the irregularities in its orbit may contribute to an already severe amount of flooding due to climate change. It is true, however, that coastal cities are going to face a sharp increase in flooding. As the study states, it will likely be a prolonged increase in floods that will slowly but surely hit coastal regions.

Misbar’s Classification

Misleading

Misbar’s Sources

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