Mount Everest is getting taller, and the reason is surprising!

According to new research, Mount Everest is 15-50m higher than before and is still growing taller every year for an unexpected reason .

Mount Everest, the tallest mountain on Earth and known as the "roof of the world" , is known to be growing taller every year. In 2020, its height was revised up by nearly 1 meter, to 8,848.86 meters.

Previously, its growth was attributed to the shifting of tectonic plates, but this theory does not explain why Everest is unusually tall compared to other peaks in the Himalayas. It is 250m taller than the second highest peak here, K2.

The "roof of the world" Everest is getting taller every year - (Photo: scitechdaily.com).

Now, researchers from University College London (UCL) have discovered that erosion from a river network about 75km from Everest may have contributed to "pushing" Everest higher.

This erosion is creating a seemingly paradoxical phenomenon called uplift , which occurs when part of the Earth's crust loses mass and then "floats" upward due to intense pressure from the hot liquid mantle below.

The process is not happening quickly. Scientists estimate that Everest has grown between 15 and 50 meters in the past 89,000 years. But it is still possible to measure it with modern technology, according to research published on September 30 in the journal Nature Geoscience .

"We can see that Everest is growing about 2mm per year using GPS devices and now we have a better understanding of what's driving this process ," said Matthew Fox, co-author of the study.

The number 2mm sounds small, but on a geological timescale, it can make a significant difference.

In the case of Everest, this process appears to have accelerated over the past 89,000 years since the nearby Arun River merged with the adjacent Kosi River.

Scientists explain that the merging of the two rivers caused more water to flow through the Kosi River, accelerating the erosion process. As more and more soil was washed away, it gradually accelerated the rate of Everest's rise, pushing the mountain's peak even higher.

"Our research shows that as the nearby river system deepens, it pushes the mountain higher ," said study co-author Adam Smith.

Scientists say the phenomenon is also affecting the nearby Lhotse and Makalu peaks, the world's fourth and fifth highest peaks.

Some geologists not involved in the study said the theory was possible but that there was still much uncertainty in the study. Still, the study 'presents an interesting insight ,' said Professor Hugh Sinclair of the Earth Sciences Department at the University of Edinburgh.