Research published in Nature Geoscience reveals that a river, by eroding surrounding land, allowed Everest's crust to rise, adding between 50 to 165 feet to its height. This surprising interaction between river dynamics and geology underscores the constant evolution of Earth's landscapes, where even the tallest mountains are not static but are shaped by environmental forces over time. Jin-Gen Dai emphasizes that mountains, while appearing immovable from our perspective, are continuously shifting and evolving.
The study highlights that approximately 89,000 years ago, the merging of two rivers led to increased erosion in the Himalayan region, stripping weight from its crust. This lighter crust is able to rise, allowing for the growth of Everest's towering peak. It suggests that the processes of erosion and geological uplift are interconnected, revealing how dynamic landscapes are shaped through time. This phenomenon illustrates that the Earth's structures are ever-changing, not static.
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