Top 10 Mountains: Science Behind Earth's Giants

• Mount Everest offers insights into human physiological adaptation to extreme altitudes and high-altitude medicine research.
• Mountains like K2 and Dhaulagiri provide understanding of glacial dynamics, ice flow, avalanche mechanics, and cryospheric processes.
• Kangchenjunga and Manaslu demonstrate alpine biodiversity and ecological adaptations of species to harsh, high-altitude environments.
• Lhotse and Nanga Parbat reveal geological processes such as tectonic uplift, crustal stress, and seismic energy distribution.
• Cho Oyu's ice and snow layers act as climate indicators, preserving records of atmospheric composition and past temperature shifts.

Why It Matters: It underscores the scientific importance of mountains for understanding Earth and life.