Mystery of Moving Rocks in Death Valley Revealed
TEMPO.CO, California - For years, scientists have been confused by the moving rocks in Death Valley National Park, California. Despite the heavy weight, the rocks are able to move in a dry lake Racetrack Playa and even left deep traces on the dry mud.
In some cases, the traces form a 250-long curve, some create straight lines. For decades, theories have been proposed to uncover the mysteries. Some believe that dusts may be moving the heavy rocks, while some other scientists believe they may be moved by the wind. But none of the theories have a scientific explanation.
In 2006, Ralph Lorenz, a NASA scientist investigated the weather in Saturn and compared it with what happens in Death Valley. He took a sample from a large hydrocarbon lake in Titan, one of Saturn satellites and created a research model using a Tupperware.
"I took a small stone and put it inside a Tupperware and filled it with water. There is one inch of water and small portion of the stone sticking out," Lorenz said.
After storing the container inside a freezer, a small stone wrapped by ice layer was formed. He put the stone embedded in the ice layer on the sand and mildly blew the stone to make it move. As the stone moved, a trace was formed on the sand.
Lorenz research team analyzed that during winter at Death Valley, the water level and ice can float the rocks on the muddy lake. And a mild wind can blow the rocks to leave traces on the mud.
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