Have we finally discovered the Amazon's source? Scientists pinpoint its origin - making the river 57

[Judi Lynn]

Have we finally discovered the Amazon's source? Scientists pinpoint its origin - making the river 57 miles longer than previously thought

Scientists believe source is the Mantaro River, which runs through Peru
If they're right, it could between 75km to 92km to the length of the Amazon
The researchers, who results have been published in Area, claim that the Apurimac River has wrongly been attributed as its source since 1971

By Ellie Zolfagharifard

PUBLISHED: 10:55 EST, 14 February 2014 | UPDATED: 14:19 EST, 14 February 2014

You might think the origin of the world’s largest river would be easy to find.

But scientists have debated where the mighty Amazon river begins for at least four centuries.

The confusion has meant that at least five Peruvian rivers have been crowned as the source at some point since the 1600s.



Now a new study by the University of California, Berkeley, argues for yet another origin, according to a report by Jane Lee in National Geographic.

Using GPS tracking data and satellite imagery, researcher James Contos and his team discovered that the Mantaro River is about 10 per cent longer than the Apurímac River.

Mantaro River, which translates to ‘great river’, runs from northeast to southeast through the Mantaro Valley in the central region of Peru.

The researchers, whose results have been published in Area, claim that the Apurimac River has wrongly been attributed as its source since 1971.

More:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2559490/Have-finally-discovered-Amazons-source-Scientists-pinpoint-rivers-origin-60-miles-longer-thought.html#ixzz2tS95FA6b

[Igel]

1. So the next question is, Does this mean war?

Looks like the headwaters are in or dangerously close to that bit of Peru that Bolivia claims.