The World’s Tallest Mountain’s exact height has been a subject of debate for more than 170 years, but following what geologists are calling the most thorough survey of Mount Everest to date, a final measurement has been settled. Growing around 2 feet from its previous official recordings, Mount Everest’s growth is said to mirror the pride of the Nepalis who share the mountain with neighboring China.
The new height puts Everest’s summit at 8,848.86 meters (29,031.69 feet) above sea level according to a report from NPR, a height that marks the first time a single measurement has been calculated and certified by both China and Nepal. Before now, the co-parents ranked it at 8844.3816 meters (29,017 feet) and 8847.73 meters (29,028 feet) in China and Nepal respectively. The result reflects an increase on both previous estimates, with scientists hailing improvements in technology as being responsible for the more accurate calculation rather than the change representing a physical growth spurt for one of the Eight Wonders of the World.
The new height has added support from preexisting geological surveys which put the mountain’s height at around the same distance. Measuring mountains is no easy task and relies on multiple estimates built on theoretical knowledge such as varying sea levels. To establish just how high the rock goes is as easy as summiting the mountain (for some, not so easy) with a satellite to signal how far you’ve climbed. The complication comes when trying to assess how far that height is from sea level. Establishing this would require a burdened descent with lots of heavy equipment all the way to the water’s edge. This new research had to employ diverse and varied approaches to reach its final verdict, including everything from old school trigonometry to satellites and gravity meters.
For any recent Mount Everest graduates wondering if their climbs to the summit are still valid, the answer is: probably. Moving tectonic plates mean Mount Everest does grow taller each year by a miniscule amount, roughly five millimeters (0.2 inches) but this growth can be stunted and even reversed by natural events such as earthquakes.
Aspiring Everest climbers should be aware that waiting times for the mountain climb can be lengthy owing to its increasing popularity as a thrill-seeking adventure. Snow and ice sections can be as steep as 45 degrees, and tour companies usually require alpine climbing or high-altitude experience to join the climb. At its new height, the mountain offers hypoxic conditions for climbers and fatalities are such that bodies on the route to the summit are used as landmarks, the most famous of which is "green boots", named for his green boots sticking out of the snow.
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