The Measurement of Awe

Finally! An article from the Washington Post that is not about the fiscal cliff but about a real geological marvel.

A story headlined "Huge Gap for Geologists: How Old is Grand Canyon?"  explains that until recently, most scientists believed the canyon to be six million years old. But new techniques (and new scientists, one of whom is 36 years old) say the canyon could be 70 million years old. This would put its formation back to a time when dinosaurs roamed the earth.

The article (true to fiscal cliff style journalism) discusses how the new canyon theorists and the old canyon theorists are sparring."It is simply ludicrous," sniffs one professor of geology. Adds another: "We can't put a canyon where they want to put it at the time they want to put it."

All of this hardly matters when you stand on the lip of the south rim and look into what seems like time itself. Is it six million or 70 million years old?  This question may some day be answered. Will I ever see a scenic vista that moves me more? I was 13 when I first saw the canyon —and I haven't yet.


(Photo: Grand Canyon National Park Service Flickr site.)