The majestic mountains, deep canyons, and sweeping valleys we admire weren’t always there. They are the masterpieces of nature’s most patient and powerful artists: glaciers, rivers, and wind. These forces have been shaping and reshaping our planet’s surface for millions of years.
- Glaciers: These slow-moving rivers of ice are immense bulldozers. As they advance, they pluck rocks from the ground and carve out wide, U-shaped valleys. When glaciers melt, they leave behind ridges of rock and debris called moraines and can fill the deep valleys they carved to create stunning fjords.
- Rivers: Relentless and persistent, rivers are master carvers. Over eons, the flow of a river can cut through solid rock to create spectacular canyons, like the Grand Canyon. Where a river meets the sea, it deposits the sediment it has carried, building up new land in the form of a delta.
- Wind: In arid regions, the wind is the dominant sculptor. It picks up sand and blasts it against rock faces, slowly eroding them into fantastic shapes like arches and pillars. It also piles up this sand to create the ever-shifting landscapes of massive dunes.
Every landscape tells a story of immense power and deep time. The next time you see a mountain or a valley, take a moment to imagine the incredible forces that worked tirelessly to create the view you see today.
