People have long been interested in the deepest, widest and highest natural objects. The answer to the question of which mountain is the highest today seems obvious. However, there may be several correct answers. It all depends on what height to take into account.
Everest - the highest mountain above sea level
Everest, or Chomolungma, is rightfully considered the highest mountain in the world. It is located in the Himalayas in China and Nepal. Many climbers strive to conquer the summit and receive the title of having visited the highest point of the earth. What height is implied in this case? Everest has the highest altitude above sea level, which is 8,848 meters. No other mountain has this height above sea level. However, some mountains can still be considered higher than Everest.
The Himalayan jumping spider has been found at an altitude of over 6,700 meters and is arguably the highest living species of fauna on the planet. It lives in rock crevices and feeds on frozen insects blown in by the wind.
Mauna Kea: from the bottom of the ocean to the top
The Mauna Kea volcano is located in Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. Its height above sea level is 4,205 meters, which is significantly lower than that of Mount Everest. However, it has one peculiarity. Mauna Kea is an island, and its base goes deep into the Pacific Ocean. The height of the part below sea level is approximately 6,000 meters, and the total height is about 10,000 meters, making it taller than Mount Everest.
One of the leading astronomical observatories in the world with 13 powerful telescopes is built on its top. A number of natural factors make this mountain ideal for scientific research. For example, the atmosphere at the summit is stable, extremely dry, and cloud cover is concentrated in the lower reaches of the mountain. The long distance to city lights minimizes the influence of extraneous light, allowing you to observe dim astronomical objects.
Chimborazo is the farthest point from the center of the Earth
Mount Chimborazo in the Ecuadorian Andes is located 1 degree south of the equator. It has a height of 6,310 meters and this figure is lower than that of Everest and Mauna Kea. Nevertheless, the top of this mountain is the farthest point on the surface from the center of the Earth. The reason for this is the geometric shape of our planet. It is not a ball, but a flattened spheroid with the largest diameter near the equator. Chimborazo is located almost at the equator, while Everest is located 28 degrees north of the equator. Therefore, Chimborazo, with its height of 6 310 meters, is farther from the center of the Earth than Everest, about 2 kilometers.
Until the 19th century, Mount Chimborazo was considered the highest in the world. This reputation led to many attempts to conquer its peak, especially during the 17th and 18th centuries.
The summit of Chimborazo is completely covered with glaciers, which provide fresh water to the inhabitants of the Ecuadorian provinces of Chimborazo and Bolivar. The glacier has shrunk in recent years, apparently due to the cumulative impact of global warming, ash release from recent eruptions from the Tungurahua volcano, and El Niño.
