Secrets of the Himalayas: What do the marine fossils on the summit of Everest reveal?

Today, Everest is known as the highest peak on Earth. However, the limestone and ancient marine creature fossils found in its upper layers indicate that this region was once at the bottom of an ocean.

Scientists explain this through the formation of the Himalayas. Approximately 50 million years ago, the Indian plate shifted northward and collided with the Asian plate.

The collision created immense pressure. As a result, sedimentary rocks and limestone that had accumulated on the floor of the Tethys Ocean were gradually pushed upward. Later, these very layers became part of the Himalayan mountain range.

The remains of marine creatures were preserved within these rocks. For this reason, the marine traces found on the summit of Everest are considered one of the proofs that the mountain was uplifted from an ancient ocean floor.

This process has not yet fully ceased. Due to tectonic movements, the Himalayas continue to rise, albeit very slowly.