Mount Everest has been revealed to be geologically active and is actually getting taller over time due to a fascinating reason. Research suggests that the mountain is between 15 to 50 metres taller than it would have been because of a nearby river’s influence. This river is eroding the landscape around the mountain, causing it to rise higher. Over the past 89,000 years, Mount Everest’s height has been boosted by as much as 50 metres due to the erosion caused by a river network about 75 kilometres away.
PhD student Adam Smith from UCL Earth Sciences highlighted the importance of this finding, stating that the mountain is continuously growing. The lead author of the research, Dr Xu Han from China University of Geosciences, explained that the dynamic nature of the Earth’s surface is showcased by the changing height of Mount Everest. The interaction between the erosion caused by the river and the upward pressure of the Earth’s mantle is responsible for the mountain’s continuous upward movement.
Mount Everest, the tallest mountain on Earth at 8,849 metres, is rising due to the erosion by the nearby Arun river. This process of isostatic rebound is also affecting neighbouring peaks, such as Lhotse and Makalu, causing them to grow as well. The uplifting force beneath the Earth’s crust leads to the mountains springing up at a rate of about two millimetres per year.
The recent study, published in the Nature Geoscience journal, examined the erosion rates of rivers in the Everest region. The Arun river’s increased erosive power, as well as its merging with the Kosi river network about 89,000 years ago, triggered the uplift of the entire mountain range. This phenomenon is not unique to Everest but is part of the geological processes that shape the Himalayas.
The ongoing uplift of Mount Everest is a fascinating insight into the Earth’s geological processes and the interplay between erosion and tectonic forces. The mountain continues to stand tall, literally and figuratively, as a symbol of nature’s magnificent and ever-changing landscape.