The World’s oldest river isn’t where you’d expect

The Finke River, also known as Larapinta, is the oldest on Earth: located in Australia, it is estimated to be over 350 million years old; its waters rarely flow, but its history fascinates scientists and indigenous peoples

While the Nile and the Amazon are understood to compete for length and water volume, there is one lesser-known title that needs mentioning: the world’s oldest river. And the winner is: the Finke River, otherwise known as Larapinta by its Indigenous Australian people.

The name may not ring a bell, but this river winds through the red heart of Australia, stretching around 370 to 470 miles when it decides to show up. Yes, the Finke is one of those rivers that “materializes” only after heavy rains. That is to say, it is not exactly something you find every day on Google Maps.

But here is the thing: where’s the big deal? According to experts, it is estimated to be between 350 and 400 million years old. And this is where things start to get interesting: the Finke is like that old relative whose exact age is unknown but is certainly ancient.

Legends and science: the rainbow serpent and geology

To the Indigenous peoples, the Finke was molded by the Rainbow Serpent, a mythical creature said to have etched its path as it travelled north from Lake Eyre.

But from a scientific point of view, it is a tough call to determine its age. It does not have a birth certificate to look at. Geologists and scientists studying the sediments, the mountains, and erosion that have sculpted the land over millions of years. The one thing for sure is that this river has seen so many layers of history-perhaps many more than we will ever fully comprehend.

What about North America’s oldest river?

In North America, the title goes to a river with rather an ironic name-the New River-much like calling a vintage collection a “new release.” It runs for 340 miles through the Blue Ridge Mountains, crossing North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. Estimates of its age run from 10 million to 360 million years-not bad for a “new” river. And to think it was declared the second-oldest river in the world back in the 1970s to save it from being dammed!

Sourc: Britannica