Is the Amazon River the longest in the world?International team of scientists to remeasure length

2023.12.10 Sun posted at 12:10 JST

（ＣＮＮ） Which river is the longest river in the world? Science is still searching for the answer in 2023.

Authoritative sources such as Encyclopedia Britannica and Guinness World Records (GWR) have recognized Africa’s Nile as the “longest river in the world.” But now a team of explorers and researchers from around the world is planning an expedition to the Amazon River to challenge that recognition.

7000 km expedition

The five-month expedition aims to set off in April 2024 and travel throughout the Amazon River, using the latest river mapping satellite technology to scientifically demonstrate why the Amazon River is the world’s longest river. The goal is to prove the point.

The Amazon River is not a single continuous river, but rather part of a “river system” that spans much of northern South America, a network made up of multiple sources and tributaries like the branches of a tree. ing.

The controversy over the length of the Amazon River primarily stems from the question of where it originates. Previously, Britannica and other companies have measured the length of the Amazon River starting from the headwaters of the Apurimac River in southern Peru. However, American neuroscientist-turned-river explorer James Kontos, 51, claims to have discovered a water source farther away than the Apurimac River. That is the Mantaro River in northern Peru.

Contos said that when he was gathering information such as maps and hydrographs for his trip to Peru, he noticed that the Mantaro River seemed longer than the Apurimac River.

After that, while traveling around the area by kayak, he conducted further verification using topographic maps, satellite images, GPS measurements, etc., and published the results of his research in 2014.

“The discovery of this new water source increases the length of the Amazon River by 77 kilometers compared to when measured from the traditionally thought source,” Kontos said.

Yuri Sanada, 55, a Brazilian explorer and film producer who led the expedition, said Contos’ discovery gave the expedition team an excuse to go to the site.

The expedition’s ostensible purpose was to map the Amazon River, but its purpose was to document in detail the rich biodiversity of the Amazon rainforest, draw global attention to it, and encourage global communities to work together to improve its environment. They say they have a larger goal of calling out the need to protect the world.

The route of the expedition, scheduled for next spring, will start from the headwaters of Mantaro, deep in the Andes Mountains of Peru, a new starting point for the Amazon River, and will sail through Peru, Colombia, and Brazil as it navigates the Amazon River. .

The rapids of the Mantaro River are descended on a raft operated by Mr. Contos, and once the Mantaro River joins the Ene River, three custom-built boats powered by solar power and pedals are used to descend the rest of the Amazon River, ending up on the Brazilian coast. reach the Atlantic Ocean.

According to Sanada, a second expedition is scheduled to begin in early 2025 starting from Peru’s Apurimac River, traditionally thought to be the source of the Amazon River, and will allow a second length measurement of the Amazon River. It is said that it will be possible.

Currently, Sanada oversees a team of about 50 collaborators on the project from Europe and America. The expedition is also sponsored by well-known companies and organizations, including support from the multidisciplinary professional association Explorers Club, an agreement with IMAX to produce a related film, and Harvard University in the United States. Examples include being commissioned to create a new map of the Amazon River for a university.

Some experts consider the Mantaro River in northern Peru to be the origin of the Amazon River.

The expedition will also include international scientific researchers from partner universities in Brazil, Peru, Colombia and the United States, Sanada said. They will participate in various stages of the expedition to provide sustainable technology to traditional communities in the Amazon basin.

“These projects will help communities learn how to treat water, how to build better homes using natural materials, how to generate electrical energy from renewable resources, how to dispose of waste, and how to transport electric mobility,” Sanada said. He added, “The lives of the local people will be completely changed.”

The solar-powered, pedal-powered hybrid boats used on this expedition also demonstrate a cheaper, more efficient, and less polluting alternative to the gasoline-powered motorboats currently in use in local communities. It was adopted for the purpose of

Developed in collaboration with a local Brazilian university, the boat is made from local bioresin and natural fibers, and the motor is also made using a 3D printer. The boat’s motor will be donated to the site after the expedition ends.

Bulletproof cabin with armed escort

However, this expedition also comes with risks.

“There are many problems that can arise on this type of expedition,” Sanada said, including the possibility of the boat collapsing and natural risks (the jungle is home to dangerous creatures such as jaguars, anacondas and poisonous frogs). However, the most dangerous thing is contact with local people.

Because of the possibility of encountering drug traffickers along the way, expedition teams will work with local authorities and provide armed escort when passing through areas known for illegal mining and drug trafficking. The boat’s cabin is also lined with bulletproof and arrow-proof fabric.

But Sanada acknowledges that the expedition may not yield a definitive answer to the length of the Amazon River or prove that it is, in fact, the world’s longest river.

Dr. Suzanne Walther, an associate professor of environmental and marine science at the University of San Diego who specializes in river systems and river measurements, says there are many challenges in measuring rivers, partly because rivers are complex and constantly in motion. , and that there are various interpretations regarding the water sources and ending points of certified rivers.

Walther said rivers can “change in many ways over time,” including changes in river flow, water levels and seasonal patterns.

“If the object to be measured is constantly moving, the results will vary even if you measure it using the exact same method,” Walther said.

Walther also points out that the world’s longest geographical feature, such as the “longest river in the world,” can enhance a country’s prestige and increase tourism revenue, and that certain artificial claims to be “the world’s number one” have the potential to increase national prestige and tourism revenue. He also pointed out that there is a motive.

quest for knowledge

Sanada says that regardless of the outcome of this expedition, he would like to explore the Nile River next time and use the same techniques and methods to measure the length of the river.

The Nile River flows through northeast Africa, passes through Egypt, and empties into the Mediterranean Sea. The source of the Nile River is also controversial, with several African countries claiming that its source lies within their borders.

Mr. Sanada said that by demonstrating “the importance of the Amazon and why it must be preserved,” these projects will increase regional pride, stimulate international tourism, and also contribute to the promotion of conservation efforts in the Amazon. I think so.