Mount Everest Growing Taller: Scientists Reveals Surprising Height Increase

Why Is This Happening — Mount Everest Updates 2024

Dr. Matthew Fox, one of the scientists behind the study, says this growth will keep happening for millions of years. “the biggest impact is probably on the climbers that have to climb another 20 metres or so to the top.” —- He further added. 

Mount Everest stands at 29,000 feet tall. It is so high that it is about 820 feet taller than the next highest mountain, K2.

A River, The Culprit Behind Mount Everest Height Increase Than Its Neighbours!

To be precise, the Arun River network, about 47 miles from Everest, snatched water from another river north of the mountain. This capture might have been initiated due to a big flood, creating a new path for the river to flow. 

The Arun River, now a key part of the larger Kosi River system, has been reshaping the landscape for thousands of years. After stealing water from another river long ago, the Arun became much stronger. With its increased flow, it started wearing away the land faster than ever before. This process made the nearby land, including Mount Everest, slowly rise. Scientists call this  “isostatic rebound”.

But this isn’t a quick bounce. Scientists say this push-up effect is super slow as it has already been happening for thousands of years and will keep going for millions more years. 

The rise will gradually spread out, affecting a larger area over time. 

“Mountains are a bit like icebergs because only a small portion is seen above surface. In their case, a big pile of thickened crust basically floats on top of mantle”, said Fox.

Everest Is Growing Taller Than We Thought!

Scientists think this “rebound” effect has added between 15 to 50-metre Everest height increase. Two other famous peaks Lhotse and Makalu in the Himalayas are also getting a lift. Makalu is closest to the Arun River, it could be growing even faster than Everest!

“It is well established that mountain peaks rise as rivers along intervening valleys erode downward and remove mass from the system,” said Paul Kapp, a geoscience professor at the University of Arizona( who was not involved in the research). The study is “novel and exciting” because it quantifies when, how, and to what extent changes in river drainages contributed to the accelerated uplift, he added.

Not all scientists agree with the new findings about Mount Everest height increase. Professor Mike Searle from Oxford University has a different view.

“It’s all about location”, Searle explained in an email. He thinks the way rivers cut into the land isn’t the main reason for the mountains to get taller. This disagreement shows that even for the world’s highest mountain, scientists are still debating on how it reaches such great heights. 

Dr. Matthew Fox, one of the researchers behind the new study, acknowledges that Mount Everest’s growth isn’t simple. He further explained there are several forces at work, and they’re all mixed together.

“This is a completely new result: It is the first time such a mechanism is invoked to explain the growth of Mount Everest,” Attal said.

This discovery shows that even the world’s biggest mountain is still changing and growing. Who knows how tall Everest will be in the future?

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