A while ago, we posted this about some new measurements
suggesting that Everest was not quite the height everyone thought. But now, according to
this AP report, the results are out and it turns out the mountain
may be smaller than we (or they) thought. A Chinese survey team summited the mountain earlier this year and, much
to their own surprise, discovered that Everest may be about 12 feet shorter than earlier estimates. They had earlier
pegged the mountain at 29,029 feet, 3 inches, but now they say it rises some 29,017.16 feet above sea level (I did the
conversion here).
A US estimate, meanwhile, has the mountain at 29,035.43 feet. Who to believe? Who knows.
(Thanks, Carl!)