Okay, so we all know that some weird stuff goes down in the Nevada desert. Often times, these unusual occurrences have no obvious answer, so naturally, we blame it on aliens. In fact, it wasn’t that hard to believe that aliens were the likely reason that stones sometimes mysteriously move in the vast desert of Death Valley National Park. However, it turns out that extraterrestrial activity actually isn’t the answer to this weird phenomenon. There is a legitimate reason the sailing stones of Nevada do what they do, and it’s bound to blow your mind.
There's a seriously bizarre phenomenon that occurs in desert of Death Valley National Park. The stones seem to sail across the desert floor by themselves! However, this is not the work of the supernatural, but science. Who would've guessed?
Death Valley's sailing stones (also known as rolling stones, sliding rocks, walking rocks, etc.) is a weird occurrence that has caught our attention since the early 1900s. For decades, scientists have been utterly baffled about what caused the stone's movement. It wasn't until 2014 that an answer was discovered!
So what exactly is the sailing stone phenomenon? It's when rocks move along the desert ground with seemingly no gravitational cause. The rocks vary in size and can be as big as hundreds of pounds. Nobody's actually seen the rocks move, but each rock leaves behind a trail in the dirt behind them.
An actual scientic explanation didn't come along until recent years. Using time-lapse photography, scientists were able to capture the movement of the sailing stones for the first time. From the photos, scientists were able to deduce that the stone's movement was caused by a combination of ice, water, and wind.
Sometimes, rain in the desert forms a small pond which then freezes overnight. When the ice thaws the next day, the thin sheets of ice can be driven by the light wind and shove rocks at speeds of up to five meters per minute.
That is one explanation we never would've thought of. It was easier to just blame it on aliens! However, knowing the actual reasoning behind the sailing stones makes you appreciate this bizarre phenomenon even more.
The exact location of the sailing stones is always changing, but the "Racetrack Playa" two miles south of the Grandstand parking area is widely considered one of the best places to view them. Yes, you'll have to venture over the border into California, but this is one weird event that every Nevadan should witness.
Did you know the answer behind the sailing stones in Death Valley? It was fun to believe these rocks just mysteriously moved by themselves, but the reason why is also fascinating! If you enjoy learning all about our state’s weird occurrences, be sure to check out The Mystery Of The Nevada Triangle That’s Absolutely Terrifying.
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