Not round, not an ellipse: NASA’s gravity-based model reveals Earth’s true geoid shape

Observers and educators are revising their understanding of planetary geometry following the emergence of a NASA gravity-based model. This visual data indicates that Earth is neither a perfect sphere nor a simple ellipse, but a geoid with significant surface variations. The depiction challenges traditional illustrations of the planet, requiring a shift in how geodetic and geographic structures are visualized by the public.

The model, referred to in reports as a "Potato Earth" map, illustrates that Earth's geoid varies by 191 meters. This variation is the result of uneven gravity distribution across the globe. Coverage from sources such as Diario AS, ScienceABC, and upday News notes that this gravity map is circulating widely, prompting a re-evaluation of what a "true" shape of the Earth represents in scientific modeling.

While the model provides a new perspective on Earth's gravitational irregularities, coverage does not yet specify how these findings will impact existing global positioning or navigation systems. Scientists continue to use these gravity-based inputs to refine models of the planet's internal mass distribution. Whether this visualization will replace standard spherical models in academic curricula remains an open question.