"Millions of Years Later, Colombian Mountain Peaks Remain Resilient"

A new study suggests that the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains in Colombia have lost their "roots" as a wedge of Earth's crust that once supported them has dripped down into the mantle over a period of 10 million years. Despite this, the mountains still stand tall, perplexing geologists. The study proposes that lithospheric dripping, where the lower lithosphere sinks into the mantle, may explain this phenomenon. The mountains may have lost their roots as recently as 2 million years ago, and other factors such as the strength of the surrounding lithosphere and the rise of the mantle may have contributed to their continued stability.