How Do the Stones in Death Valley Move on Their Own?

Located on the US border between California and Nevada in Death Valley National ParkThis interesting phenomenon, known as “self-moving stones” or “sailing stones”, has fascinated scientists for years.

Although many theories were put forward, in the end The mystery of the stones has been solved. So how can they move spontaneously?

These stones do not roll down for no reason.

Stones of Death Valley Racetrack Playa They move on a flat and cracked ground in the dried lake bed called . The long traces they leave behind are proof that they really moved. But the real question is what or who moves these huge and heavy stones.

Since the 1990s, this phenomenon wind, magnetic fields It was thought to be caused by events such as these, but in 2014, scientists finally managed to solve this mystery.

The method was simple but required patience: The researchers He placed GPS devices and set up an array of cameras. They thought it would take 5 to 10 years to get results, but they were lucky enough to solve the mystery in 2 years.

Research has revealed that the movement of the stones occurs through a combination of a series of rare natural events.

In winter, the desert is covered with a thin layer of water, and at night the water freezes. forming ice sheets. During the day, these ice sheets crack under the influence of the sun and the wind comes into play.

Light winds pushing ice sheet and as the stones slide during this movement, long traces are left on the hard ground. The movement of the stones is so slow that it is almost impossible to see it with the naked eye.

When we look at the story of these stones, we see how small details that we overlook can have huge consequences. a logical explanation We also see that it is.

Other content that may interest you: