Uploaded April 2020 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
It’s difficult to measure the depletion of water reservoirs when they are underground. NASA has come up with a creative solution -- measuring changes in Earth’s gravity from space. Wet ground has more mass than dry ground, just like how a wet sponge is heavier than a dry one. This means that wet ground has a larger gravitational pull than dry ground. By measuring this fractional change, a pair of NASA satellites, called the Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission, have been mapping our remaining underground water reservoirs across the globe.
Interview: Jenni Bonin, University of South Florida, College of Marine Science
Free for Educational Use
4K Planetarium Domemasters and educator guides available: https://www.colorado.edu/fiske/fiske-productions
Fiske is one of the largest planetariums in the US, having served CU Boulder & the local community since 1975. We offer a diverse range of fulldome films, live talks, laser and liquid sky shows, as well as public gatherings for astronomical and NASA-related events.
Follow Fiske Planetarium:
Website | https://www.colorado.edu/fiske
Instagram | instagram.com/fiskeplanet
Facebook | facebook.com/teamfiske
It’s difficult to measure the depletion of water reservoirs when they are underground. NASA has come up with a creative solution -- measuring changes in Earth’s gravity from space. Wet ground has more mass than dry ground, just like how a wet sponge is heavier than a dry one. This means that wet ground has a larger gravitational pull than dry ground. By measuring this fractional change, a pair of NASA satellites, called the Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission, have been mapping our remaining underground water reservoirs across the globe.
Interview: Jenni Bonin, University of South Florida, College of Marine Science
Free for Educational Use
4K Planetarium Domemasters and educator guides available: https://www.colorado.edu/fiske/fiske-productions
Fiske is one of the largest planetariums in the US, having served CU Boulder & the local community since 1975. We offer a diverse range of fulldome films, live talks, laser and liquid sky shows, as well as public gatherings for astronomical and NASA-related events.
Follow Fiske Planetarium:
Website | https://www.colorado.edu/fiske
Instagram | instagram.com/fiskeplanet
Facebook | facebook.com/teamfiske
