Now that they have narrowed down the "when" of the Grand Canyon's formation, the geologists plan to continue investigations into how it took shape. The genesis of the canyon has important implications for understanding the evolution of many geological features in the western United States, including their tectonics and topography, according to the team. "Our major scientific objective is to understand the history of the Colorado Plateau—why does this large and unusual geographic feature exist, and when was it formed," says Farley. "A canyon cannot form without high elevation—you don't cut canyons in rocks below sea level. Also, the details of the canyon's incision seem to suggest large-scale changes in surface topography, possibly including large-scale tilting of the plateau." "Apatite 4 He/ 3 He and (U-Th)/He evidence for an ancient Grand Canyon" appears in the November 29 issue of the journal Science Express. Funding for the research was provided by the National Science Foundation.