Tag Archives: Mountain Building

A summertime view of the geologically young and rugged Italian Alps, towering above stunning high mountain lakes
c. 65 Million BCE: The Formation of the Majestic Alps

The Alps were formed from the collision of the African and Eurasian plates following the breakup of Pangea, leading to the uplift of sedimentary deposits from the Tethys Sea and creating complex geological structures, including [...]

A view of the Himalayas from the Tibetan Plateau, captured by astronauts on the International Space Station in 2004, with Mt. Everest in the center.
c. 70 Million BCE: The Majestic Himalayas – A Tectonic Marvel

The Himalayas, formed from the collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates, are a prime example of the dramatic mountain-building process, resulting in peaks like Mt. Everest, created through thrust-faulting and continuous upward stacking of [...]

Albert Bierstadt's 1866 painting 'A Storm in the Rocky Mountains, Mt. Rosalie' depicts the dramatic geological and meteorological features of the relatively young Rocky Mountains
c. 80 Million BCE: The Geological Formation of the Rocky Mountains

Explains the formation of the Rocky Mountains, a geological anomaly far from the North American plate's edge, initially formed by continental collisions 300 million years ago and later uplifted by the subducting Farallon plate around [...]

This satellite image shows the ancient, folded, and eroded remnants of the Appalachian Mountains, depicted as brown bands, in the northeastern United States. New York City is visible just above the center right of the image.
c. 480 Million BCE: The Geological History of the Appalachian Mountains

Examines the formation and evolution of the Appalachian Mountains, tracing their origins to multiple plate collisions starting around 480 million years ago and discussing their transformation from towering peaks to the more subdued landscapes seen [...]