Mount Everest Grows Each Year

The colossal force that created the Himalayas is still at work today. The world's highest peak is situated on the "crumple zone" of a slow-motion collision between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. As the Indian plate continues to push northwards, it forces the landmass upwards, causing the entire Himalayan range to rise. This geological uplift is the primary reason for the mountain's continuous growth, which scientists estimate to be around 4 millimeters annually. This subtle increase is a powerful reminder that the Earth's surface is in a constant state of dynamic change, even if it's too slow for us to perceive.

However, this upward push is in a constant battle with the forces of erosion. The harsh winds, heavy snowfall, and grinding ice of Everest's extreme climate relentlessly wear the mountain down. This makes measuring its true height a significant challenge, one that has evolved with technology. For decades, surveyors debated the exact elevation. The devastating 2015 earthquake in Nepal also raised questions about a possible change in height. To settle the matter, a joint survey team from Nepal and China used modern GPS and radar technology, resulting in the newly agreed-upon official height of 8,848.86 meters (29,031.7 feet) announced in 2020.