Mystery Of The Sailing Stones of Death Valley | Stones That Move With No Trace Or Visible Force!
Death Valley is known for extreme heat and desolate landscapes. But the valley is known for a strange phenomenon. It has rocks that move and inscribe long tracks along the smooth Death Valley floor without intervention. These are called “sailing stones.” The trails are most commonly found in Racetrack Playa in the Death Valley. For years, these large rocks have created trails in very long tracks, and they have baffled visitors. Interesting in this phenomenon is the complete lack of any visible force that could move these stones. However, in recent years scientists have finally unraveled this mystery. Let’s dive in to discover.
What Are the Sailing Stones of Death Valley?
These rocks, sometimes called sliding or moving stones, vary in size. They are frequently found in Racetrack Playa, which is a dry lakebed in Death Valley National Park. The rocks usually weigh several hundred pounds. They mysteriously move across a generally flat cracked surface, leaving long trails behind them. Tracks go on for hundreds of feet, curving or zigzagging across the playa in an unpredictable manner. Some stones even travel around 100 m (330 ft) from shore.
This strange phenomenon has puzzled visitors and scientists alike for many decades since there is no wind strong enough to move these rocks. There is no human interaction whatsoever and not an animal in sight. Accordingly, theories of magnetic fields, aliens, and even supernatural forces swirled around this unique natural occurrence.
How Scientists Solved the Mystery of sailing stones of death valley
In 2014, a team of scientists led by Richard Norris managed to capture on camera the movement of the sailing stones. Using time-lapse photography, GPS tracking, and weather monitoring equipment, they’ve captured just what conditions were causing these stones to move. The conclusion they reached was quite remarkable. The stones move across the surface gingerly because of a mix of water, ice, and air.
On cold winter nights, a thin sheet of ice forms over the surface of Racetrack Playa. When the morning sun rises, the ice melts and breaks into large panels. They are only just thick enough to carry rocks. Meanwhile, gentle winds push the ice sheets that in turn push the stones around. Voilà. The stones glide smoothly across the playa, leaving behind them their characteristic trails.
The rocks moved very slowly, only a few inches each minute, which is why no one ever saw them move. This discovery ruled out ideas about paranormal activity or magnetic forces and gave a clear scientific explanation for the mystery.
Racetrack Playa In Death Valley
Racetrack Playa, a completely flat and arid lakebed for most of the year, is probably the most remote part of Death Valley. It is approximately 3 miles long and 1.2 miles. The valley receives only 3 inches of annual precipitation and has a harsh desert condition. The flooded surface, arid climate, Wind, thin layer of clay, and Ice floes make the place a perfect spot for Death Valley’s sailing stones to perform their magic movements.
The surface of the playa is made of fine sediment and clay. It forms a perfectly level ground that allows these stones to glide over it. It is a place that receives rain only a few times every year. When it does, water reaches this spot and covers the surface very thinly, preparing the ground for the next movement of the sailing stones. Decades of research have finally taught them how these rocks move.
The Fascination Continues Despite the Explanation
While scientists have explained the movement of the sailing stones of Death Valley, fascination with this natural wonder hasn’t faded. The exact conditions needed for the stones to move are so rare that this event happens infrequently and is hard to observe. Tourists continue to travel to Racetrack Playa in hopes of experiencing the stones and their trails firsthand.
The movement of the stones remains one of the more forceful reminders of the incredible forces at work in nature. Something as benign as water, ice, and wind sliding large rocks around the floor of a desert is, nonetheless, testimony to the marvels of our earth. The scientific explanation of the phenomenon notwithstanding, the sailing stones still provide much for the senses in terms of awe and astonishment to those who venture into Death Valley.
Conclusion
While finally, scientists have cracked the mystery, much wonder still lies in the sailing stones of Death Valley. These rocks silently sail across Racetrack Playa and show us how such extreme environments can hide highly complex and beautiful phenomena. The right mixture of ice, water, and wind creates the perfect conditions for these stones to take their sail across the desert, leaving intrigue in their wake.
These sailing stones give a glimpse into the surprising power of nature for anyone who is an admirer of the natural world. Therefore, next time one visits Death Valley, he or she needs to take some time to be astonished by these sailing stones and incredible forces which move them. It seems that nature always has more in store to surprise people.
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