(Getty Images)

One of America's most stunning tropical gems is slowing eroding from within.

Researchers at Brigham Young University in Utah took a closer look at the building blocks of Hawaii's Oahu Island. They concluded that, in time, Oahu will actually flatten from an island to a "low-lying seamount," according to an article in Live Science.

Parts of Oahu can get anywhere from 2 to 23 feet of precipitation a year, depending on the landscape. But scientists say it's not the rain that'll change Oahu: it's the water underground.

The researchers calculated the mass Oahu loses each year, and found "groundwater carried away between three and 12 times as much dissolved solids compared to surface water," according to Live Science.

How long will it take before the tropical paradise wastes away? Check out more here.

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