SMRTR Science & EngineeringFeb 2, 2026Live Science

The Colorado River's largest tributary flows 'uphill' for over 100 miles — and geologists may finally have an explanation for it

SMRTR summary

The Green River mysteriously carved through Wyoming's towering Uinta Mountains 8 million years ago instead of flowing around them, puzzling geologists for decades. New research suggests a "lithospheric drip" - a heavy blob of rock that formed beneath the mountains and eventually detached - temporarily lowered the peaks enough for the river to flow over them before the landscape rebounded upward again.

SMRTR provides this summary for quick context. The original article belongs to Live Science.

Read the original article
SMRTR Science & Engineering

Get the next batch of curated summaries in your inbox.

This archive is built from SMRTR newsletter summaries. Subscribe for hand-picked stories without the extra noise.