Why Scientists Deliberately Altered Mount Everest's Height Data

Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak, holds a unique story behind the history of its measurement. In the mid-19th century, scientists are known to have deliberately manipulated the mountain’s elevation figure to make it appear more convincing in the public eye. According to historical records, the first official survey of Everest in 1852 actually produced an average result of exactly 29,000 feet after measurements were taken at six different locations. However, the publication team at the time felt that such a round number would be perceived by the public as a rough estimate, rather than a credible scientific report. To avoid an impression of inaccuracy, the team decided to deliberately add two feet, so that Everest’s height was officially announced as 29,002 feet (8,840 metres). This deliberate ‘false’ figure endured as the official measurement for more than a century. It was only in 1954 that the Survey of India conducted a new measurement and found Everest’s height to be 8,848 metres, or 29,028 feet. This time, the result was reported as is because the resulting figure was not round, and was therefore deemed to meet scientific standards without requiring additional modification. Changes to Everest’s recorded height are not only due to measurement techniques, but also to natural factors and methodology. The controversy began to subside after a joint Nepal-China team conducted a post-2015 earthquake re-measurement. The latest results agreed on Everest’s height as 8,848.86 metres. Although this figure is now the global standard, experts believe that the height of the roof of the world could still change in the future along with the Earth’s ongoing dynamics.