islays_death_valley

look at

the mysterious moving rocks
of death valley

In Death Valley national park in California, US, a totally inexplicable, possibly geological, phenomena occurs! Rocks, indeed even boulders (some weighing up to 330kg!) , have been noted to move........by themselves! The "trails" they leave are unmistakable, and by any standard this is WEIRD !
For over 100 years it has baffled scientists as to hat causes these rocks to slide over the flat plain, leaving behind the distinctive "trail", the dry lake beds where this happens have been knicknamed "THE RACETRACK".
Over the years many theories have been put forward as to what causes this mysterious happening, but in reality we are no closer to knowing the real cause of this. Indeed various scientific expeditions to the area have been carried out to attempt to find the reason, but inevitibly their answer has been NO !

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Could the wind be the cause ? (or in the image right a whirlwind *joke*). Detailed scientific experiments conducted at the site concluded that given the immense weight of some of the rocks involved windspeeds in excess of 1000kph would be needed ! This far exceeds any winds we have on earth (yet), so obviously we have to look elsewhere.

Then it was suggested the extremes of temperature in Death Valley may allow a thin film of ice to form, allowing the rocks (eased by the friction reducing ice). to slide easier.
Another series of scientific experiments were condusted to determine if this could be the answer, once again the answer was a resounding NO !

OR VISIT

The most recent suggestion is that after heavy rain wind speeds of only 100kph would be needed.
The image on the left (complete with beautiful sunset) clearly debunks any suggestions that wind causes this phenomenon, wind could not move two heavy rocks in different directions.
Magnetism has also been suggested, but scientific tests found no magnetic anomalies.
So what sort of force could cause such heavy rocks to move, and will this mysterious force eventually be identified ? Could it be a seismic occurance?
Who knows.............I think you'll agree A REAL MYSTERY !

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