Could Any Mountain Have Surpassed Everest? The Science Says Yes, But Not on Earth Today
A new wave of public interest in Earth science is reviving a deceptively simple question: has any mountain ever been taller than Mount Everest? The answer is yes in principle, but only under very different planetary conditions, and the science underscores how geology, gravity and climate set hard limits on mountain growth. The debate also offers a useful lens for understanding the deep-time forces that shape Earth’s surface and the constraints facing climate and clean-energy planning on a changing planet.
