Mountain ranges usually don't form in the middle of continents. Except for the Rocky Mountains. We'll go into the baffling Laramide Orogeny and a few possible reasons why the Rockies might be in the wrong place. Hosted by: Stefan Chin ---------- Support SciShow by becoming a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/scishow ---------- Huge thanks go to the following Patreon supporters for helping us keep SciShow free for everyone forever: Adam Brainard, Alex Hackman, Ash, Bryan Cloer, charles george, Chris Mackey, Chris Peters, Christoph Schwanke, Christopher R Boucher, Dr. Melvin Sanicas, Harrison Mills, Jaap Westera, Jason A Saslow, Jeffrey Mckishen, Jeremy Mattern, Kevin Bealer, Matt Curls, Michelle Dove, Piya Shedden, Rizwan Kassim, Sam Lutfi ---------- Looking for SciShow elsewhere on the internet? SciShow Tangents Podcast: https://scishow-tangents.simplecast.com/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@scishow Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/scishow Instagram: http://instagram.com/thescishow Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/scishow #SciShow #science #education #learning #complexly ---------- Sources: http://neotectonics.seismo.unr.edu/0_COURSES/Geo730-2020/EnglishLaramide2004.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20060922235242/http://geomaps.wr.usgs.gov/parks/province/rockymtn.html https://www.usgs.gov/geology-and-ecology-of-national-parks/geology-rocky-mountain-national-park https://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2018/01/29/csu-study-offers-clues-mysterious-origins-rocky-mountains/1065794001/ https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geology/article-abstract/46/3/219/525801/Moho-temperature-and-mobility-of-lower-crust-in https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780124095489121244 https://canadiangeographic.ca/articles/new-research-suggests-intense-collision-formed-rocky-mountains/ https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/06/190606150328.htm https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-09804-8 https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/books/book/202/chapter-abstract/3793852/Anatomy-and-global-context-of-the-Andes-Main?redirectedFrom=fulltext https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0012825215300258 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-39473-7 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0012821X03003996 http://historyoftheearthcalendar.blogspot.com/2014/11/november-22-sevier-orogeny.html https://historyoftheearthcalendar.blogspot.com/search?q=Laramide Images https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/video/scenic-aerial-overview-of-shenandoah-mountains-and-hills-stock-footage/1327376867?adppopup=true https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/illustration/vector-outline-map-of-the-rocky-mountains-in-royalty-free-illustration/1257903549?phrase=rocky+mountains+map&adppopup=true https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Moraine_Lake_17092005.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sevier_Fold_and_Thrust_Belt.jpg https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/views-of-garden-of-the-gods-park-royalty-free-image/1139553668?phrase=sedimentary+rock+rocky+mountains&adppopup=true https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/crestone-peak-rocky-mountains-colorado-royalty-free-image/484348365?phrase=longs+peak+colorado+granite&adppopup=true https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/illustration/volcanic-activity-at-subduction-zones-royalty-free-illustration/1472682836?phrase=subduction&adppopup=true https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/empty-dirt-beach-with-traces-against-canadian-royalty-free-image/1272710320?phrase=rocky+mountain+canada&adppopup=true https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/video/mountain-reflections-on-bow-lake-in-banff-national-park-stock-footage/1407901590?adppopup=true https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/video/aerial-view-of-mount-rainier-at-sunset-stock-footage/1178194751?adppopup=true https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/facts/volcanoes.html https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/american-great-plains-prairie-at-sunrise-royalty-free-image/840182100?phrase=great+plains+america&adppopup=true https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/3d-illustration-of-a-scientific-ground-cross-royalty-free-image/1127950955?phrase=plate+subduction&adppopup=true https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/video/aerial-shot-above-lake-and-road-with-mountains-in-the-stock-footage/848795998?adppopup=true https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/video/banff-national-park-in-canada-bow-river-stock-footage/1407898968?adppopup=true https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Plate_tectonics_Americas.svg https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/video/himalayas-nepal-stock-footage/665005636?adppopup=true