Evolution

About 23 million years ago, when the Tibetan Plateau began to rise, a river was born.

The Yangtze river runs through China, from the Tibetan Plateau to the East China sea. It is the world's third longest river (6300 kilometers or about 4000 miles) and scientists have long debated its age. Now, thanks to researchers from Nanjing Normal University in China, the age of the river was determined using rocks found in the Jianghan Basin (below the Three Gorges Dam).

Picture courtesy of:

http://www.china-tour.cn/China-Pictures/Yangtze_River_Three_Gorges_1.htm

Sources:

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/349900/description/News_in_Brief_Yangtzes_age_revealed