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Chinese Three Gorges Dam: A $37 Billion Engineering Wonder The biggest human-made entity on the surface of Earth It already slows Earth's rotation, making each day slightly longer. 1. Who Propose the Concept of this The concept of the Three Gorges Dam was first envisioned by Chinese politician Sun Yat-sen in 1919 during the "International Development of China. Actual construction began in 1994 after approval by the National People's Congress, transforming vision into reality. 2. The Dam Ideal Location The Yangtze River was chosen as the dam's site due to its solid granite river valley, making it an exceptional choice for such a massive structure. 3. Control Over the River The dam’s reservoir spans the first segment of the Yangtze River, controlling over 1 million km² of land. Each year, an average of 500 billion cubic meters of water passes through the river. 4. World's Most Gigantic Concrete Structure To complete this engineering marvel, It took: - 40,000 workers - 17 years - $37 billion Materials used: - 27.2 million m³ of concrete (6 billion gallons) - 420,026 tons of steel—enough to build 63 Eiffel Towers. 5. Massive Energy Generation The dam is powered by 32 colossal generators, each weighing 6,000 tons. - Each of the 32 main turbines generates 700 MW. - Two smaller turbines add additional capacity. - Combined, the dam generates enough electricity to power 60 million people. 6. Multifunctional Purpose Beyond power generation, the dam serves numerous critical functions: - Flood prevention - Transportation - Aquaculture - Tourism - Ecological protection - Environmental cleanup - Water transit (south to north China) - Irrigation 7. Flood Control The dam mitigates the risks of floods, holding back the Yangtze River during flood seasons. It protects millions of people downstream, including cities like Wuhan, Nanjing, and Shanghai. The reservoir spans 405 square miles, creating a crucial buffer. 8. Environmental Impact The dam significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions: - 1.4 million tons of CO₂ - 4.3 million tons of acid nitrate - 800,000 tons of hydrogen sulfide Truly a breathtaking achievement for environmental sustainability. 9. Hidden Disasters However, the dam has caused significant social and environmental upheaval: Over 1 million people were displaced from their homes. The project resulted in the flooding of: - 13 cities - 140 towns - 1,350 villages 10. Earth's Rotation Impact A fascinating claim: the Three Gorges Dam is so massive it slows Earth's rotation! When the reservoir holds its maximum capacity of 42 billion tons of water, the mass shift impacts Earth's moment of inertia, as explained by NASA scientists. This phenomenon, governed by Newton’s First Law of Motion, slightly lengthens our days and nights. I hope you've enjoyed and found this post helpful. Creator Credit: Zoya
