Posted on 03/07/2008 12:18:12 PM PST by rosenfan
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Grand Canyon, carved out over the eons by rushing river water, began to form 17 million years ago, making it nearly three times older than previously thought, scientists said on Thursday.
The general consensus among geologists had been that the famed natural landmark in Arizona was about 6 million years old.
But now University of New Mexico scientists say it is far older based on their findings using a technique called uranium-lead isotope to date mineral deposits in caves from nine sites in the canyon's walls.
The cave formations provided a record of a dropping water table as the canyon deepened.
The gorge is 277 miles long, 1.1 miles deep at its deepest point and up to 18 miles wide. The Colorado River that runs through it arises in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and flows southwest about 1,400 miles to the Gulf of California.
The scientists found that there is a kind of dual history to the canyon, with the western portion starting to form about 17 million years ago when water from a predecessor to the Colorado River began the slow, inexorable process of eroding the rock, they said.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
Hey don’t feel bad, the Canyon has 17 million years practice on you.
Thanks! I always wanted to be a record breaker for something.
http://www.10000bcmovie.com/
Holy Crom...this movie looks terrible!
It appears to have all the wit of the film One Million Years BC, but without the charm of Raquel Welch in a fur bikini.
It's always amazing how people that mock geologic dating are totally unaware of anything in existence besides Carbon dating.
Just saw the Canyon two weeks ago. It’s definitely a “you had to be there” thing. No picture can do it justice.
And who’s to say that God didn’t start it 17 million years ago? Great art takes time!
May have to give it another chance. Last time I visited I was 13 and we were taking my dad to Travis AFB en route to Da Nang, and my perceptions may have been shaded...
Colonel, USAFR
Oh...that’s what I thought, but I didn’t wanna SAY anything.
If a bunch of geologists got together and agreed the Grand Canyon was 30 million years old, would that make it true?
Forget it, it’s not worth the time, nor energy. Ask them to explain how we are JUST seeing the light from objects millions/billions of light years away, and watch their heads explode. I’ve never gotten a good answer other than “because hat’s how God made it”. Who exactly is burying their heads in the sand?
Beat me to it!!.....
There are fairly elaborate YEC constructs attempting to explain the whole distance/light thing. Pretty funny to read actually.
You haven’t really seen it until you’ve hiked it. Truly.
Amen. It is my favorite place on earth, not just a glorious sight but a palpable presence like none other. Way beyond beautiful.
My only concern now is to be able to view it without having to see that jutting out walking about thingie. That is a travesty and sacrilege.
Thanks for the ping.
The only reason I would have to doubt this is that the world is a terribly destructive place.
The Grand Canyon area is the site of a very old upwelling of mountains, that were then eroded down to sediment, then the sediment was uplifted, and *then* washed down by the Colorado River. The river cut through all that sediment to its base, where it exposed the roots of the ancient mountains.
Now, for those of you who have never seen the Grand Canyon in person, let me assure you, you cannot see the canyon with mere photographs. That thing is enormous. A crack in the world.
Be it a mere six million years, or 17 million years, the big question is, how could this be done here, but nowhere else?
Some comparisons can be made with Copper Canyon in Mexico, Snake River Canyon in Idaho, or the Great Rift of Africa. But they all look a lot more like each other, like “normal” canyons, than the Grand Canyon.
It’s not just size, because parts of the six canyons of Copper Canyon are deeper; and it’s not entirely location, because Snake River Canyon is in a similar situation.
Today, it’s a high desert, but even just 50,000 years ago it was warmer and wetter grasslands. That was when a gigantic meteor hit about 100 miles away, in a 2.5 Megaton blast.
You would think the canyon would have noticed. Apparently not.
Well that is on the North Rim and I doubt that it is visible from the South Rim.
On the other hand I am willing to bet that it is much safer than a helicopter or air plane tour. Every few years you hear about a crash or midair collision over the Canyon.
I am also very much encouraged that the Indian Tribes are find other ways to make a living other than opening another casino.
Ah, North Rim, you have eased my mind. Thank you.
Not sure where that second comment came from:)
I have no doubt there was a great deal of controversy within the Havasupai (?) tribe about putting that “thing” up there.
Some day someone will be the last one to walk out on that.
Thelma and Louise, hand in hand...:)
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