How Was the Grand Canyon Formed?

It's a long story…
↓ More info and sources below ↓

How do you make a Grand Canyon?

Thanks to Mike from PBS Idea Channel and Jamin from PBS Game/Show for hanging out at the Grand Canyon with me!

Special thanks to Raymond Schillinger for great camera work!

I was in Arizona recently for Phoenix Comic-Con, and had the amazing pleasure of seeing one of Earth's greatest natural wonders… the Grand Canyon. More than a mile deep, and several miles across, it just defies belief. But I couldn't help but think, the Colorado River down at the bottom isn't that big. How did it cut a canyon so massive? How old is the Grand Canyon?

Here's its story

Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below!

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It's Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.DFollow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe
Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com

Joe Hanson - Creator/Host/Writer… and camera for this one!
Joe Nicolosi - Director
Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Producer
Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics/Animation

Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod

Other music via APM
Stock images from Shutterstock, stock footage from Videoblocks

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Last week's video:
Why Are The Bees Dying?

More videos:

[trashking]

Videos and pictures don't do it justice.. seeing it up close was something else.. I can't explain the feeling I got

[DoctorWho]

1:11 - So it was him who stole our TARDIS!

[zwussow]

That was such a random cameo... Love it.

[aliciacardenas]

Thank you for helping my daughter learn about the Grand Canyon!

[melaniechilton]

My students enjoyed this informative video.

[NerdSyncProductions]

Definitely didn't recognize Jamin or Mike at first. That was great!

[soggy]

I'm still curious as to what factors made the results of the grand canyon so drastic compared to OTHER canyons, as well as why not all rivers seem to have made canyons.

[javakat]

THIS VIDEO IS BRILLIANT. BLESS THESE ANIMATIONS

[gauravdhande]

thanks for the amazing info. I can now throw this fact to my friends! I dream of visiting it.... in the mean time I also came across James Asquith's vlog on Grand Canyon and it was amazing!

[niyaross]

i love the name of this channel "Its ok to be smart". thanks for that lol(also ty this really help me learn about grand canyons!)

[msfredb]

I still don't get why this massive erosion only happened there. Did I miss something ?

[Dovid]

There are many nice theories. Erosion is an ongoing process, creating new geological forms. It is more likely that the receding waters after the Great Deluge some 4, 200 years ago (if we can rely on the biblical account) formed the Grand Canyon, and that debris and sediment of other periods (broken mollusks and marine organisms) had collected in the canyon's strata, which gives to it the appearance of being 6 million years. Softer earth was swept away with the inundating waters, until one was left with the granite bedrock (otherwise known as the Vishnu Basement Rocks). Remember that the entire earth was once covered with water, which explains why they found fish fossils (or else sea shells) on top of Pikes Peak.

[valentinlopez]

My students loved this video. We want to visit the Grand Canyon soon!

[GRIMPONG]

I am a true Whovian, and good job on using the good time tracks.

[MyVhey]

That's My VHEY Official
50 seconds ago
The Grand Canyon is one of the best vlog that I ever made. with it's amazing and spectacular scenic view that really capture your attention.

[ACSReactions]

How does a canyon become grand? When Joe Hanson goes to it. 
Also, did you shoot all those time lapses? If so how.

[Kram]

LOL, that cameo!
I actually had that happen to me before: Some tourist was asking where this ginormous mall was. I just pointed behind them and they went

[the_moon_]

Can you please do a video on this topic!!! I was wondering how, why, ants have wars it sounds cool.

[urinstein]

Tbh I haven't seen that many of your videos yet, but this is o far my favourite.

[GuyWithAnAmazingHat]

Sherlock in a TARDIS is the stuff of fan fiction.