For generations, scientists believed the towering Andes Mountains rose slowly over tens of millions of years as Earth's tectonic plates pushed together and folded the crust. A new study published in the journal Science challenges that long-held idea, suggesting large sections of the Andes reached their remarkable heights in as little as 7 million years . The discovery is prompting geologists to rethink one of the most fundamental theories about how mountain ranges form.
The research points to an unexpected force deep beneath Earth's surface. Instead of surface crust alone driving the uplift, scientists believe giant masses of buoyant material inside the planet may have helped push parts of the Andes upward far more rapidly than previously thought. The findings add to growing evidence that Earth's interior plays a much larger role in shaping the planet's landscape than earlier models suggested.
