What Happens If Gravity Disappears for a Moment?

Imagine a world where gravity suddenly vanishes, even if just for a brief moment. Without its constant pull, everything not firmly attached to the Earth would begin to drift away, from people and cars to entire bodies of water. Buildings, engineered to rely on downward forces, could experience structural failure, and the very air we breathe would become chaotic. In space, satellites and space stations would lose their stable orbits, leading to unpredictable consequences for global communication and navigation. But what happens when gravity returns? Would everything crash back down in perfect order, or would the world be forever changed?

This thought experiment takes us through the astonishing consequences of a force we take for granted suddenly disappearing. From the immediate physical effects to the long-term implications, the loss of grav ...