Mount Everest Grows Every Year Thanks to a Strange Geological Quirk Miles Away

For those who are confused as to how all this is possible, it seems that the science of climbing Mount Everest originates from the “kidnapping” of a river that happened 89,000 years ago. According to researchers, this is where the Arun was first caught by the much larger Kosi River, making the former a tributary to the latter.

In doing so, the Himalayan water flow patterns caused the Arun to make a dramatic 90 degree turn, flowing in an unusual L shape, instead of the natural branching shape. This L-shaped flow pattern has eroded the foothills of the Himalayas, creating a huge gorge that gives Everest a few more millimeters each year that passes.