Groundwater pumping causes Earth's axis shift, study suggests.

Humans' excessive pumping of groundwater has caused Earth's axis to shift, according to a new study. The shift is observable on Earth's surface and contributes to global sea level rise. Groundwater extraction has caused the rotational pole to drift eastward at a rate of about 1.7 inches per year. The study shows that the redistribution of groundwater has the largest impact on the drift of the rotational pole among climate-related causes. The researchers used computer models to evaluate sea level variations and found that groundwater extraction is the second most significant factor affecting the rotational axis after mantle flow.