Why is Mount Qomolangma (known globally as Everest) nearly 250 meters taller than its closest rivals? A groundbreaking study published in Nature Geoscience suggests *river erosion* played a starring role in shaping Earth’s highest peak! 💡
Led by Prof. Wang Chengshan from China University of Geosciences and UK collaborators, the research highlights how the mighty Kosi River’s ancient 'capture' of nearby waterways turbocharged erosion around 89,000 years ago. Imagine one river 'stealing' another’s flow—like nature’s version of a viral TikTok trend! 📈
This erosion caused rocks to literally 'bounce back' upward (think of a mattress springing up after you stand up!), adding 0.2-0.5mm to the mountain’s height annually. Over millennia, that’s an extra 15-50 meters—enough to make Qomolangma the undisputed heavyweight champion of peaks! 🥇
While tectonic collisions between India and Eurasia built the Himalayas, Prof. Wang notes this new river-driven mechanism solves a 'height mystery' other theories couldn’t. 🌏🔬 For adventurers and science geeks alike, it’s a fresh reminder: Earth’s peaks are still full of surprises!
