Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

The Himalayas, one of the most awe-inspiring mountain ranges on Earth, have long captured the imaginations of adventurers and scientists alike. Towering above the clouds, these colossal peaks hold not only breathtaking beauty but also crucial geological secrets. Recent research suggests something astonishing: the Indian tectonic plate—the very foundation of the Himalayas—may be splitting in two deep beneath the surface.

For millions of years, the Indian Plate has been pushing northward, colliding with the Eurasian Plate and giving rise to the Himalayas. But new findings from Stanford University geologist Simon L. Klemperer and his team indicate that this seemingly solid landmass is undergoing a dramatic transformation, one that could have significant implications for earthquakes and mountain stability in the region.


A groundbreaking discovery in the Tibetan Plateau

Klemperer and his team traveled to Bhutan to study helium levels in mountain springs across the Tibetan Plateau. Their research focused on an unusual occurrence: elevated levels of helium, a telltale sign of geological activity beneath the Earth's surface. The team initially considered two possibilities:

  • The Indian Plate is colliding horizontally with the Eurasian Plate, causing surface buckling.
  • The Indian Plate is dipping beneath the Eurasian Plate, melting into magma and releasing helium.

The Himalayas as seen from the sky. From above, the Himalayas look timeless—but beneath the surface, powerful tectonic forces are at play.Bernard Gagnon

However, their findings revealed a more complex process at work. The researchers detected significantly higher helium levels in southern Tibet compared to northern Tibet. This suggested that rather than a simple collision or subduction, the Indian Plate was actually splitting into two distinct layers beneath the Tibetan Plateau—a phenomenon known as "delamination."

"We didn’t know continents could behave this way and that is, for solid earth science, pretty fundamental."

— Douwe van Hinsbergen, Utrecht University

What does delamination mean for the Himalayas?

The concept of delamination isn’t entirely new. Scientists have long suspected that tectonic plates can peel apart under certain conditions, but it has mostly been observed in thick continental plates or simulated in computer models. Klemperer’s study is the first time this process has been observed in real-time beneath a downgoing plate.

An illustration of the forces in play beneath the Himalayan mountain range. The Himalayas may rise toward the sky, but deep below, the Earth's crust bends and flexes under immense pressure.Raynaldi rji - Own work

To understand what’s happening, imagine a layered cake. The bottommost layer of the Indian Plate is denser and thicker than the upper layers. Over millions of years of intense pressure, this lower layer appears to be detaching and sinking into the Earth’s mantle, while the upper layer continues to grind against the Eurasian Plate. The team even identified three specific hot spring locations where the plate appears to be "peeling" apart—like the skin of a banana.

The potential risks: earthquakes and instability

This discovery isn't just a fascinating insight into Earth's inner workings—it also carries serious implications. The ongoing separation of the Indian Plate could contribute to increased seismic activity in the region. The Himalayas are already one of the most earthquake-prone areas in the world, and if the lower plate continues to break apart, it could lead to more frequent and powerful tremors.

"This is the first time that … it’s been caught in the act in a downgoing plate."

— Douwe van Hinsbergen, Utrecht University

The shifting tectonic activity could also impact the long-term stability of the Himalayas themselves. While the range has been growing for millions of years due to the collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates, this newly observed process suggests that parts of the range may weaken or deform in unexpected ways.

A new frontier in geological research

The findings, which were first presented at the American Geophysical Union conference in December 2023, mark a major milestone in the study of Earth's deep interior. Scientists have long believed that tectonic plates behave in relatively predictable ways—either colliding, sliding, or subducting beneath each other. But the discovery of the Indian Plate splitting apart introduces a new layer of complexity to our understanding of plate tectonics.

Further research will be needed to determine how quickly this process is occurring and what long-term effects it may have on the Himalayas and surrounding regions. Scientists are already planning additional studies using isotope measurements, seismic mapping, and satellite imaging to track the changes beneath the Tibetan Plateau.

The Himalayas have stood as an unshakable symbol of Earth's power and resilience for millions of years. But as this research reveals, even the mightiest mountains are subject to the shifting forces deep within our planet.

More For You

Neil Armstrong’s widow finds forgotten artifacts from Apollo 11 hidden in a closet
Cover Image Source: Instagram | @neilarmstrongofficial

Neil Armstrong’s widow finds forgotten artifacts from Apollo 11 hidden in a closet

Months after Neil Armstrong’s passing in 2012, his widow, Carol Armstrong, stumbled upon a surprising discovery in his closet—a white bag filled with spacecraft equipment from the Apollo 11 mission, according to My Modern Met.

The items, tucked away for decades, were never meant to return to Earth. But thanks to Armstrong’s quiet decision to keep them, a fascinating piece of space history was uncovered.

Keep ReadingShow less
asteroids, asteroids hitting earth, neil degrasse tyson, cosmos, space

Neil DeGrasse Tyson says the threat of an asteroid hitting Earth is very real

Left: Neil DeGrasse Tyson, photo by Norwegian University of Science and Technology | Wikimedia Commons. Right: Artistic representative photo of asteroid by Javier Miranda | Unsplash

Asteroid’s odds of hitting Earth just went up. Neil deGrasse Tyson warns: ‘We cannot ignore this.’

The risk of an asteroid striking Earth is something scientists closely monitor, but new data has sparked serious concern. NASA recently announced that the impact probability of asteroid 2024-YR4 has doubled, prompting astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson to weigh in with a stark warning.

Taking to X (@neiltyson), Tyson urged people to pay attention, emphasizing the need for continued investment in scientific research and planetary defense.

Keep ReadingShow less
Planets aligned; boys looking through telescope

The next parade will be in 2040.

All seven planets in our solar system will appear in Earth's sky for one night

Standing under the night sky is breathtaking. As stars, tiny pools of light, poke through an endlessly dark blanket, we feel humbled and are reminded of our great luck: We are here, in this moment, right now, a product of everything that has come before and playing a role in everything that will come after.

Nights like these already feel like a small miracle. But on February 28th, something positively incredible happens: the 2025 planetary parade. Imagine stepping out on a clear February evening and seeing not just one or two, but SEVEN planets shining brightly in the distance like a string of cosmic jewels.

Keep ReadingShow less
a man running up a vertical wall, three images

A gravity-defying stunt

Chinese man uses physics to miraculously escape from a 20-foot pit

A video went viral on the Chinese social media platform Rednote, also known as Xiaohongshu. It features a man who appears trapped at the bottom of a colorful pit—until he begins to run. The walls are nearly vertical and at least four to five times taller than the man (approximately 20 feet high). Yet, he manages to climb out in ten seconds or less by consistently running in a perfectly timed circle.


Keep ReadingShow less
Cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev floating aboard the space station, holding a camcorder in microgravity, surrounded by equipment.

Sergei Krikalev aboard the space station, capturing moments while unknowingly becoming part of history.

He orbited Earth over 5,000 times while his homeland disappeared beneath him

It’s the stuff of science fiction—a brave explorer launches into space, only to return and find the world radically changed. But for Russian cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev, this was no movie plot. It was real life.

When Krikalev left Earth in 1991, he was a proud citizen of the Soviet Union, embarking on what was supposed to be a routine five-month mission aboard the Mir space station. But as political upheaval shook his homeland, his return was repeatedly delayed. By the time he finally made it back 312 days later, the USSR had collapsed, his country had ceased to exist, and even his hometown had a different name.

Keep ReadingShow less