Human activity alters Earth's tilt by over 30 inches.

Human activities such as pumping groundwater from aquifers have caused a significant eastward shift of 31 inches in Earth's rotational pole between 1993 and 2010, according to new research. The study estimates that pumping 2,150 gigatons of water from underground layers of water-saturated rock known as aquifers caused the shift. Groundwater depletion also contributed to a 0.25 inch rise in global sea levels. The findings highlight the impact of human activities on the planet's axis and the importance of monitoring water usage.