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The convergence between tectonic plates produces enormous forces, which deform and uplift the continental crust and, eventually, form a mountain range. This is called an orogenic zone. Many orogenic zones, such as those in the European Alps, the Pyrenees, and the Southern Alps of New Zealand, can be understood through the model of orogenic wedge deformation. However, such models have struggled to accurately reproduce the complex tectonic structures in Taiwan. There are two mountain ranges, Backbone Range and Hsuehshan Range, in Taiwan, while the orogenic wedge model can only produce one range. The metamorphic rock in the Taiwan mountains were buried at ~20 km depth. How did it uplift rapidly to the surface during the past 6 Myrs? The research team, led by Dr. Eh Tan, Associate Research Fellow at the Institute of Earth Sciences, Academia Sinica, have introduced a new orogenic model for Taiwan. The model incorporates a strong and vertical backstop at the east, a realistic geothermal gradient, lithology- and slope-dependent erosion, brittle-ductile transitions of geological materials, and the decollement geometry to replicate the complex structures of the Taiwan orogenic belt. This new research method not only can comprehend the orogenic mechanism of Taiwan, but also can help study other orogenic wedges globally. The research has been published on August 28, 2024 in Science Advances. The co-authors of the paper include Professor Yuan-Hsi Lee of the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, National Chung Cheng University, Jia-Bin Chang and Ming-Jung Zheng, both master's graduates from National Chung Cheng University, and Chase J. Shyu, a TIGP doctoral student at Academia Sinica.