SOUTH AFRICA IS RISING (17 JUNE 2025)

What’s going on with the ground beneath us? According to a new study using 20+ years of satellite data, parts of South Africa are literally rising, about 6 millimetres between 2012 and 2020. And no, it’s not tectonic plates or some ancient volcano flexing under our feet.

Scientists from the University of Bonn say it’s because of drought and water loss. When we lose large amounts of water from dams, rivers, and underground reserves during long dry periods, the weight of that water is lifted, and the land underneath subtly rises, kind of like a sponge puffing up after it’s been squeezed.