Scientists say the Grand Canyon is much older than thought.
WASHINGTON (AFP) - A new dating technique has put the age of the Grand Canyon at 17 million years old, three times older than earlier estimates, according to a report in the latest edition of the journal Science.
The latest in uranium-lead isotope dating allowed researchers to study the canyon's "cave clouds", the mamillary coatings of carbon deposits that gather on the canyon walls at or near the water table, the journal said in its edition released Thursday.
"The canyon is older than we think," said Victor Polyak, a geologist at the University of New Mexico and principal author of the paper.
The age of the natural wonder in the US southwest has been in dispute for more than a century, as some methods commonly used to date geological events are unable to trace with precision beyond one million years ago.
Polyak and his team also found that, based on the hypothesis that the mineral deposits in the caves were left by a declining water table level as the Grand Canyon deepened, it formed first at its western side and then opened up to the east, with the eastern side cut out more quickly some five to six million years ago.
3 comments:
I wish not agree on it. I regard as polite post. Particularly the title attracted me to be familiar with the whole story.
Amiable fill someone in on and this enter helped me alot in my college assignement. Say thank you you on your information.
Brim over I assent to but I about the list inform should acquire more info then it has.
Post a Comment