Scientists decipher ancient origins of the Euphrates River (opens original article in a new tab)

Scientists used seismic data to trace the Euphrates River's origins to a merger of two ancient rivers 3.6-1.6 million years ago, driven by tectonic activity in Türkiye.

• Scientists determined the Euphrates River formed between 3.6-million and 1.6-million years ago from two earlier river systems merging due to tectonic activity.
• Seismic imaging revealed ancient river channels beneath the seabed, showing the Euphrates' predecessors flowed across Türkiye and Syria into the Mediterranean.
• The study linked the modern Euphrates to the Karasu and Murat rivers, with tectonic shifts causing their merger and shaping the river's current course.