Everest reaches new heights

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Everest is growing - 21st October 2024

The height of the world’s highest mountain is increasing. Mount Everest now measures 8,849 metres and it’s getting bigger.

Mount Everest’s located in the Himalayan mountain range. This formed when the Indian landmass pushed north into Eurasia. Over 50 million years, the Himalayas has grown into the world’s highest mountain range. But scientists think that Everest’s started growing faster.

Researchers from China and the UK measured the mountain. Over the last 89,000 years, its height’s increased by an extra 15 to 50 metres. What could be causing this extra growth?

The team found that 90,000 years ago, two rivers had joined together. The power of this water has had a huge effect. It’s removed millions of tonnes of rock from the area. This has decreased the weight which is pressing down on the Earth’s surface.

Because there’s less pressure on it, the Earth’s surface is rising. This is why Everest’s height is increasing faster than before. It’s added between 0.16 and 0.53 millimetres to its growth each year. This may not seem a lot, but for mountains, it’s incredible.

Other things may be part of this effect. The Himalayan glaciers are getting smaller.