Sailing stone at Racetrack Playa in Death Valley National Park, California, USA
© Patrick Walsh/Getty Image
Rocks on the move
No, that stone in today’s homepage image didn’t get there by itself. Or, did it? Not only is Death Valley, USA, one of the hottest places on Earth, it also boasts a mysterious geologic phenomenon—rocks that drift across the exceptionally flat desert floor, seemingly under their own power. The rocks here at Death Valley's Racetrack Playa are known as 'sailing stones' and they can vary in size from a few grams to hundreds of kilos. As seen in our image, the stones leave long trails behind them as they move across the scenic dry lake bed.
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