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Mt. Everest: the Highest Point on Earth?

by Justin Glow on Apr 10th 2007 at 1:00PM

Most of us learned early in life that Mt. Everest was the highest point on earth. Today the mountain is lusted after by adrenalin-hungry climbers looking to stand on the top of the world. But is Mt. Everest really the highest point on Earth?

It depends on how you look at it.

Because the Earth isn't a perfect sphere, but actually an "oblate spheroid" -- meaning it bulges at the equator -- there's another point on the planet that is actually closer to outer space than Mt. Everest: an inactive volcano in Ecuador, Mt. Chimborazo. Although the mountain stands almost 10,000 feet below Mt. Everest, the equatorial bulge extends its peak 1.5 miles further into space.

"If you define 'highest' as highest from sea level, Mount Everest is still champion," says NPR's Robert Krulwich. "But if you want to stand on the place on Earth that is closest to the moon, that would be Mount Chimborazo!"

Filed under: Climbing, China, Nepal, Ecuador

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

craig Jun 6th 2007 10:05AM

That is not technically correct - it depends where the moon is.

A better way to phrase it is Chimborazo is the furthest point from the centre of the earth - not the nearest point to the moon!

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travis Oct 9th 2007 10:44PM

Craig you are correct and wrong, it does depend on the moon, but since the earth is a sphere Everest would be the farthest point out from the center or core of the earth.

Emily Sep 11th 2008 10:42PM

Travis, did you not read the original post? The earth is NOT a sphere, it is an oblate speroid, and Everest is not the farthest point from the center of the earth.

drw Dec 27th 2008 4:43PM

the reason the earth is not a true sphere was nt stated in the original post, and the comment about the moon is also confusing. the reason the earth isn't round is due to centrifical force. the speed a person is traveling at the equator is some where around 1700 kph. the centrifical force generated by that speed expands the circumferance of the earth by about 14 miles.

Ihave climbed to 16000 ft on Cotopaxi in Ecuador, which is even closer to the equator than Chimborazo. At that altitude, I would have been about 3500 ft above the summit of Everest.

But since centrifical force affects the atmosphere as well, the oxygen level at 16000 ft in Ecuador would be the same as 16000 ft on everest.

Obviously there isn't the same challenge, but it is fun to watch peoples expressions when I say that I have climbed higher than Everest.
drw

someone Jun 20th 2009 3:59AM

hi um do you know what is the answer of my comment? pls tell me the answer if you know xD

someone Jun 20th 2009 3:54AM

what are its definition or stories about the mt. chimborazo?
is it true that mt. chimborazos feet is in the core? is it true pls reply....:)

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