Ancient Egyptians considered the Nile river to be the source of all life. The steady northward path of the river has nourished the fertile valleys of northeast Africa for millions of years and in doing so, shaped the course of human civilization.
The Nile’s unchanging path, however, has been a geologic mystery because long-lived rivers usually move over time. Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have cracked the case by linking the river’s flow to the movement of rock in the Earth’s deep mantle. In the course of their investigation, they found the eternal river to be much older than anyone realized, with the scientists estimating the age of the Nile to be 30 million years — about six times as long as previously thought. (1)
Behold the eternal river.
Behold the temporary life.
Heraclitus was right.
You can never step into it twice.
But not because the river is changing.
But because you are…
Get into that river.
And see yourself.
Floating away…
Away from the river.
To a shore where there is nothing but a tree.
Walk to that tree.
But eat not from its fruits.
Can you hear a river nearby?
