According to a new study, a river roughly 46 miles (75 kilometers) from Everest was "captured" by another around 89,000 years ago. The erosion from this event carved away a huge gorge, leading to a loss of landmass that made the mountain experience a major growth spurt.

The persistent process of erosion is powerful enough to cause the world’s most intimidating mountain range to rise slowly up out of the mantle, growing in elevation

Essentially, the immense pressure and force generated by the collision causes the crust to thicken, resulting in the uplift of peaks like Mount Everest. Additionally, the ongoing movement of the Indian Plate into Eurasia continues to push the mountains higher each year.