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

> **Open Intelligence Dossier** · First detected: 2026-07-28 16:07 UTC · Category: Science

## Executive Summary
NASA has released a gravity-based model revealing that Earth's true shape, known as the geoid, is irregular and neither flat nor oval.

## Intelligence Brief
NASA has introduced a gravity-based model that illustrates the Earth's true geoid shape, demonstrating that the planet is not a perfect sphere nor a simple ellipse. This new model reveals an irregular form that departs from traditional geometric descriptions of the Earth. According to reports from upday News, the gravity map produced by NASA shows that the geoid varies by as much as 191 meters, highlighting the uneven distribution of mass and gravitational pull across the globe. This irregular shape is the result of gravity-based measurements collected through various space missions. The coverage of this discovery is widespread across several outlets, with Diario AS and ColombiaOne.com explicitly noting that the planet is neither flat nor oval. ScienceABC has characterized the resulting visualization as a "Potato Earth" map, focusing on why the Earth's gravity is described as lumpy.


Additionally, Noticias Ambientales provides a detailed look at how space missions and the study of gravity are the primary tools used to reveal this irregular shape. These reports collectively emphasize the shift from a theoretical smooth model to a data-driven representation of the geoid. To understand the significance of this model, it is necessary to recognize that the geoid represents the surface of equal gravitational potential. While the Earth is often depicted as a sphere or an oblate spheroid in basic geography, the reality is a complex shape influenced by varying densities within the Earth's interior. The "lumpy" nature of the gravity map explained by ScienceABC suggests that gravitational pull is not uniform across the surface. This context explains why the image is being described by ColombiaOne.com as controversial, as it challenges common visual perceptions of the planet's geometry.


Future attention will likely focus on the implications of these gravity-based measurements and the specific space missions mentioned by Noticias Ambientales. Observers will be monitoring how the 191-meter variance reported by upday News integrates into existing geological and planetary models. As the scientific community analyzes the "Potato Earth" model, further details may emerge regarding the specific regions of the globe where the most significant gravitational irregularities occur. The ongoing use of NASA's gravity mapping technology will remain the primary source for understanding the Earth's true physical form.

## Multi-Source Evidence Table
| Source Outlet | Headline | Verification URL |
|---|---|---|
| Yahoo | NASA model reveals Earth is actually shaped like a potato | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMilwFBVV95cUxPbFZfVmEzOUVpNUxlelIxeEJEaW5ldWdFQ29XVnU1a1VuUzhfamJiZTRBZmV2WjgzTTZ1MEJianIzRmdLSVlWdXlXekdDN1lxWWlRYjlfX3RGdWhZMXYta0JyYXN6em1jbTkzR1dqYVhEdnNtaFRvbVBhM1gwNnNQdm84eUR3OEFVTTFFV19ZQ0FUdVFDQjlz?oc=5) |
| WIRED | NASA’s New 3D Model Shows the Earth Is a Lumpy Mess | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMic0FVX3lxTE9CVFFyZlg1TVZJV002elY0RlgyclJWQTZqc0FMNDRkWnlfeV9sUV9ENzhjWkJ1MnhXZ3g4VU9SemYyX013MDl0V19fR0d6OEx3T2tuUmh0ZGtKZXdfaVgwREZwaUR0R3BIU1Nra0FKUXRUTzQ?oc=5) |
| CPG Click Oil and Gas | NASA reveals the 'true' shape of the Earth: interactive model shows how gravity changes sea level and redefines the planet's altitudes | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMigwJBVV95cUxNZnJORXloZXNOQ3RsRGVWR1ppNHBmZ0piWUc5dDNVeTg3MUxvSXhENVpUWU1PQTZ0ektpWktORTZuMkFkSk9SQk0ydUI3eTdrcnRqSU9nMkhKaUlPb2piTmt1bTZCMXluLS1iQVFKUDRIamYwdEN1YjZTejRTOVdfTTJ6SVFNd1A2V2t3VVM5VzNnNTNXVEtTazZXMnFxam5RRVFlazhkbVNROUpkSGhXcVJVYzhDdGg4WUpyUFVabUJRRTJjaV9zWnllNkctMDVrN1FyMFFFaFZCdUt1UEZDOU93cXFlQTNjeFpKeWhVc2pvZ0pqdzhDX0ZERDB0ZjlFVUlN?oc=5) |
| Phandroid | NASA’s 3D Visualization Shows How Gravity Can Warp the World’s Oceans | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiowFBVV95cUxPRW52Y1ZqQUlNS3lPRGVXS1Z0UGdTdmJpLWdMMjI2LUtxVTBYMHpBR0l4WmtyLVhHcG9SR2V5RmFwQS1qNkdpZjNOOU1ObU04REZRdmR2NlRLOVNrdmQ1SE05am1Ka3lrcFNEc0VSdm4zNjNMUzlLM0RpQU5FdnBoV1hyQUZyV2I3N21QYndrb3kwWEpscG1Eek9lY3d3UVVYTjJR0gGoAUFVX3lxTE8tZGMtMHd5bnZ4U0FhZDEtZjg3Y3BOS2hjdTJ4RFBudkpVLWc0YkdNRGlna0pEbGd4QXdnNEVYSmR5aDJDVnpJRkh0SkpVRU4zM1c0QkpoRXc0V090dFlJdE9lbTkyNnVXT2RCQlM5VWI1TFVhR1d1T1dVYmV4NS1NUHIyd1pjVjFXbGhlcU1fVUVVUE9YcnQ4QkgzX0VFbXQycXBwOEE3OQ?oc=5) |
| russpain.com | NASA's Viral Geoid Image Challenges Traditional View of Earth | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMimgFBVV95cUxNYVNYcGJkSFcwTWZxeTdXai1sRnpKRUNfSlI3cjdMVUZ5QjYtcHB5MDdzVWJyMW9tR0lzandQLUlYSEc0eG81WGNiQk5lX1JfZjZpaUN3dl9jTElvVEVhS2pDUzJScnF3SnZuamItZERmdTdvTHo5MHNzMG1uN0luQzF0clVYQXliV0FUaWE1aGZjb2UxWjhJWDZB?oc=5) |
| Noticias Ambientales | The Geoid: How Gravity and Space Missions Reveal the Earth’s True Irregular Shape | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMivAFBVV95cUxOcUN4cnIxT1pJUnF6X2pRcEQyWkdSSEFtdTZIS3NfcVRNZnF2WHpSRFdtaVhZeV93U3FVMUZWWU5kMWNXTTBhX0NnY1EyYW5hcW9GNXh6NnprSmd1a01oLU5hblAxVEZGVkhjVDF4anJTZWVKc3F5N0xJSzZod3BWa1o4S3FHTHFLalVRcXNKaHBMLUYwOFVsd2RwcnNXSkpfcTJWVGtiNU9Fa2hQN1VXWWtndDRSOE85U09MQ9IBwgFBVV95cUxPTWJzY3FFYjdPSWpDa21uUlJHWGtabFFTSFNXZFIzTkwwVHRoVm5WazdzSmRZa1RxVzFtQjZIelR5dlBHZ2RLTWFnOUpDdzBMR3RxcDlTbG9KbF9TbGhrZDZaQ2tyMVgtMnpuS3ZMbzEwTGR4RGdLTFdpb3RCdEVydU1VQi1BZ1Y1ZmpQNXVHbjBLOFd6dGR) |
| upday News | NASA's gravity map reveals Earth's geoid varies by 191 meters | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMilwFBVV95cUxObkJHa3duejFxNE40ME1Kdmx4VVY1OEpOX2x5SnB2VzNHWTBtVERkblpiQXFFZUhlY2l4VEUzbERySTBfV1dmRVRKbExUMWRwTmdWYnBWbFZqUVBYSElxNjM3eURKcWJHaURhcExvQjBrN0otdi1TelM4RUVlSXVvNlVoT1hjTTN3QjdyN0l0bzlWME9UZm1j?oc=5) |
| ScienceABC | Why Is Earth's Gravity Lumpy? What The "Potato Earth" Map Really Shows | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMihgFBVV95cUxPSExKX1pYV2hVQjdrNjhxN1VPWmtETFBXaXdZQ0tQeEpVQmJnMkR6X0dSU1R0LUc5X1ZZanZUeXlvVWRjbFdObHNDeTJUeFVzUldiNEdwVHdOOGtHS3pPWVFHeGF4TDh6Umg4RjFjcVgtanBQa1JiTkZKRlZTdV9HbTFGdVJtUQ?oc=5) |
| ColombiaOne.com | Controversial New Image of Earth: Neither Flat Nor Oval | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMilAFBVV95cUxNY0lsb2JTT3ZucGJ6WU9pNllBeG5qeTIwUndFd1I2QmdfLU11NzZYdlJmS3Vwb3NGZ0FJRkVDQlBIX3kwcHh4eE5nbFNpUlJpN2lkek5hcTJqWHhxYk9neU1FTUh4WEI4bXlGSmRGOElMc1oxRmdVUlBpelZJbVZtNnlfREVBWmZvYXhwUk0wOFRReXZL?oc=5) |
| Diario AS | Not round, not an ellipse: NASA’s gravity-based model reveals Earth’s true geoid shape | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiwAFBVV95cUxNMWI3MEJ5SUJyRXJmaE5tZ2djTUVqeHRfNFBsTFRRdS1ydG5hZ29aaDZxOFBUQmx2a3cxYkd5MDJvSHEzLXVmeXRQLWRJajFoay1MYndIV0F0d2RWU3dER1JqdS02MHpfeVgzbV9jUFZrMG9oblJnWjBKTzMxY2UyYTNjOWxkazZLZFVKY2dGcE5qWW5jV1hXbUxLS3FzMUdtNTcwRGlqY3RfbVFmZU82bnItVkRGU0tva0x5YVczV2HSAdQBQVVfeXFMUFRKVGJ5cDhEVnNhYjR1M1c3QVFHUTUzNlJSb3A3SGdQcUxCNGoyNm5wXzlicURHbTJRektNYmw5MlBDazctWFMwRV9Nb0ljOFExaUpDVjNTSEhIVTJ6bGVkbUlOeXE2UE5jTURfYy1NdHhKQnBtZTc0WjgxZkhmbVUyRWkzemJSdVpsMjItLWF5Y3p) |

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*Canonical Source: https://pulse.byoviral.com/trend/2026-07-28/not-round-not-an-ellipse-nasa-s-gravity-based-model-reveals-earth-s-true-geoid*