Mount Everest Is Getting Taller

Earth’s tallest mountain above sea level, Mount Everest, continues to get taller each year. The erosion of rock and sediment caused by nearby rivers is believed to be the cause of the mountain’s continuous growth. Over the past 89,000 years, Mount Everest has grown somewhere between 50 and 164 feet, a rate of about two millimeters per year. The majestic mountain is located in China and Nepal.

Mount Everest

Mount Everest, known as Chomolungma in Tibetan or Sagarmāthā in Nepali, is in Asia, part of several mountain peaks known as the Himalayas. The mountain range was formed when the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates collided between 40 and 50 million years ago. The peak of Everest is more than five miles (29,032 feet) high and growing. It stands more than 820 feet higher than the second-highest peak of the Himalayas.

The grandiose nature of the mountain attracts tourists by the thousands. Around 35,000 people visit each year. Only some take on the immense task of climbing the giant rock. Dangers such as altitude sickness, weather and wind conditions, and avalanches pose threats to both visitors and climbers. As of May 2024, 340 people have died on Mount Everest.

What Makes It Grow?

GPS measurements indicate Mount Everest grows approximately two millimeters per year and has done so for the last 89,000 years. Scientists have reasoned that the growth is due to the movement of the tectonic plates that formed the range in the first place. However, more recent studies have shown that river capture could be the likely cause of growth. A river capture takes place when an existing river changes direction and, in doing so, steals water from another river.

Adam Smith of University College London said in a statement, “Mount Everest is a remarkable mountain of myth and legend and it’s still growing. Our research shows that as the nearby river system cuts deeper, the loss of material is causing the mountain to spring further upwards.”

The Arun River causes the substantial erosion of rock and sediment that then forces a rebound of sorts. The portion of Earth’s crust that loses mass is forced upward by the pressure of the liquid mantle beneath it. This chain of events is called isostatic rebound. It is a slow and gradual process that causes little change over time. It has taken 89,000 years for the height of Mount Everest to increase between 50 and 164 feet.

China University of Geosciences geologist Jin-Gen Dai explained the process of river capture and isostatic rebound: “An interesting river system exists in the Everest region. The upstream Arun river flows east at high altitude with a flat valley. It then abruptly turns south as the Kosi river, dropping in elevation and becoming steeper. This unique topography, indicative of an unsteady state, likely relates to Everest’s extreme height.”

Some scientists do not agree. Mike Searle, a geologist at Oxford University, believes that it is difficult to link the increased elevation to river incision. “The main arguments are geographical. River incision, in my opinion, has little to do with mountain uplift,” Searle said.

1. Mount Everest has grown between 50 and 164 feet over 89,000 years.
2. Mount Everest is located in China and Nepal, part of a chain known as the Himalayas.
3. Thousands of tourists visit Mount Everest every year.