Mount Everest, the world’s tallest mountain standing 5.5 miles (8.85 km) above sea level, is still growing. While the mountain and the Himalayas have been slowly rising due to the collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates for 50 million years, scientists have discovered an additional cause for Everest’s unusual growth.
They believe a significant change in nearby rivers is responsible.
According to researchers, about 89,000 years ago, the Kosi river merged with the Arun river. This merger has caused Everest to grow by 49-164 feet (15-50 meters), with an uplift rate of 0.01-0.02 inches (0.2-0.5 millimeters) per year.
The process behind this growth is called isostatic rebound, where land rises when heavy material like rock or ice is removed.
The merger of these rivers increased erosion, removing rock and soil, which made the land lighter around Everest. As a result, the land rose.
“Isostatic rebound can be likened to a floating object adjusting its position when weight is removed,” said geoscientist Jin-Gen Dai from the China University of Geosciences in Beijing. “When a heavy load, such as ice or eroded rock, is removed from the Earth’s crust, the land beneath slowly rises in response, much like a boat rising in water when cargo is unloaded.”
This natural process happens in other parts of the world too. For example, in Scandinavia, land is still rising as a result of the melting ice sheets from the last Ice Age.
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Adam Smith, a co-author of the study from University College London, explained that GPS measurements show Everest and the Himalayas continue to rise, and the rate of uplift from isostatic rebound may increase over time. Neighbouring peaks like Lhotse and Makalu are also experiencing growth.
“This research underscores our planet’s dynamic nature. Even a seemingly immutable feature like Mount Everest is subject to ongoing geological processes, reminding us that Earth is constantly changing, often in ways imperceptible in our daily lives,” said Dai.
Everest, also known as Sagarmatha in Nepal and Chomolungma in Tibet, sits between Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. Named after British surveyor George Everest, it holds cultural significance for local communities.
“Physically, it represents Earth’s highest point, giving it immense significance simply by virtue of its stature,” said Dai. “Culturally, Everest is sacred to local Sherpa and Tibetan communities. Globally, it symbolises the ultimate challenge, embodying human endurance and our drive to surpass perceived limits.”
(With inputs from Reuters)
