Mount Everest is taller than it should be — and a weird river may be to blame

Aerial view of mount everest and its surrounding peaks on a clear day with blue sku.

A "weird" river in the Himalayas may have pushed the peak of Mount Everest up by 164 feet (50 meters), scientists say.

According to a new study, a river roughly 46 miles (75 kilometers) from Everest was "captured" by another around 89,000 years ago. The erosion from this event carved away a huge gorge, leading to a loss of landmass that made the mountain experience a major growth spurt.