Tectonic shift near Japan helped set the stage for Grand Canyon, study finds
Research suggests a double subduction zone off Japan transferred stress across the Pacific, accelerating the rifting that gave the Colorado River its path to the sea
A geological reorganization near Japan more than 10 million years ago appears to have accelerated the formation of the Gulf of California, creating the outlet that allowed the Colorado River to carve the Grand Canyon, according to a study published Oct. 29 in Science.