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Rolling Rock Mystery Solved

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There are many natural mysteries on this planet.  I remember reading about the strange “moving rocks” of Death Valley in National Geographic World magazine as a kid.  Patiently I waited for an answer to how these large boulders scooted across the desiccated desert floor, leaving distinctive trails in their wake.  Finally, the world has an answer!  James and Robert Morris, cousins and researchers solved the “sliding rock” riddle through diligence and a bit of luck.  According to their article in Nature, they analyzed their stop-motion photography of the suspect rocks and noticed that thin sheets of ice were forming under the boulders.  It was across these ephemeral ice formations that the rocks made their move.

Sailing rock in Death Valley

Image Credit: Thinkstock/BBC)

Read more at the BBC.

Kristen E. Strubberg is the Editor-in-Chief for TGNR. Kristen founded TGNR in 2013 - seeking to create a high quality platform for original, eclectic and substantive positive news journalism by attracting expert contributors in many varying subjects. Kristen also works as a clinical medical researcher in Cardiology, with an original background in Neuroscience. Her passion for science has translated to her science-fiction specialization, with her highly adept published insights into the best of sci-fi’s popular culture. Kristen has served as TGNR’s Editor-in-Chief since 2013.

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