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Moving Rocks
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The moving rocks, also known as sliding rocks or sailing stones, are a geological phenomenon found in Racetrack Playa, a seasonally dry lake (a playa) located in the Panamint Mountains in Death Valley National Park, California. The rocks move across the surface of the playa, leaving long tracks behind them as they go, without human or animal intervention. They have never been seen or filmed in motion.

Moving rocks

Racetrack rocks only move once every two or three years and most tracks last for just three or four years. Rocks with rough bottoms leave straight striated tracks while those with smooth bottoms wander.

Most of the moving stones originate from an 850 foot (260 m) high hillside made of dark dolomite on the south end of the playa, but some are intrusive igneous rock from adjacent slopes. Tracks are often tens to hundreds of feet (low to high tens of meters) long, a few to 12 inches (8 to 30 cm) wide, and typically less than an inch (2.5 cm) deep.

Moving rocks

Over the years there were many speculations and possible explanations made on how the stones move, ranging from supernatural to very complex. Most hypotheses favored by interested geologists posit that strong winds when the mud is wet are at least in part responsible. But some stones weigh as much as a human, which some researchers feel is too heavy for the area's wind to move. They maintain that ice sheets around the stones either help to catch the wind or move in ice flows.

But both theories don't explain how two rocks right next to each other could go in two opposite directions or one could stay put while the one three times the size, doesn't. So far every attempt of explanation has been insufficient and purely assumptive. The mystery of moving rocks is yet to be revealed.

Moving rocks

Moving rocks

Moving rocks

Moving rocks

Moving rocks

Moving rocks

Moving rocks


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  Comments (78)
 51 Written by Stoned, on 11-04-2008 17:01
ooo id love a cup a tea, anyone else?
 52 Written by razorbuc, on 16-04-2008 04:21
I've visited the moving rocks,and they are of all sizes,shapes,etc..sometimes three of them,all different shapes and weights...leave exactly the same trail...turning in all directions,but generally in the same flow from one end of the Playa to the other.It seems to me that the reason they move would be "all of the above".The mud in the lakebed is kind of weird.It cracks in tiny dollops,instead of big pancake sections.So I think that when that weird mud gets wet,at just the right viscosity,AND the earth tremors,AND the wind blows,the rocks slide slowly across the lake bed.The wind having something to do with it,would explain both,why they move the same,and why they move in different directions.I aimed a pistol at one of them and told it to follow me,but it didn't respond,so I don't think there is any alien life present,or at least an alien that undersands english.
 53 Written by pigpen, on 10-05-2008 02:04
What a bunch of idiots....so... its from ice or frost? any person who has just a little common sense & has been outside when there was frost on the ground knows that frost don't form under an object but only on the exposed surfaces. Also, if ice formed under the stones, it wouldn't move the rock but would freeze it to the ground. So... what about wind? may i just ask... is this the only place on earth where there are rocks on a flat surface and a lot of wind ? Northern california (as many other places) is extremely windy... has lots of rocks on flat areas and i've never seen or heard of one moving... sheesh people, get a grip! just accept it as an unexplained phenomenon because to date, thats exactly what it is. If your gonna come up with some theory at least make it believable.... or at least make it so silly its funny!
 54 Written by MolePeople, on 15-07-2008 02:04
I have two theories: 
1- the shifting magma underneath death valley coupled with the type of rock surface and the amount of iron in the rocks, it may be possible that they are being moved by underground magnets. This would explain the different directions based on the differences in the magnetic field at different points. because the magnetic pull would be downward, it would be pulled closer to the earth and leave tracks, and the different sized rocks would either move or not move depending on the strength of the magnetic field in that particular area. however, the field would have to be particularly strong or the valley covered in ice, which would eliminate tracks. 
2. the more spiritual explanation-Why question the works of God?
 55 Written by WIZDOM, on 10-10-2008 10:52
Hey guys. I did not read all of the comments but I wanted to put my 2 cents worth in. Has anyone looked to see the composition of the rocks, do they have some kind of metallic compound. I am thinking that magnetic charges from sun or just the magnetic poles hitting the area. Sounds logical to me, but who am I 8)
 56 Written by DANDYDONALD, on 18-10-2008 14:50
the gavitaional and magnetic effects 
of the moon have the major causes, plus most of those opt cit.The mountain ranges nearby have been exposed to large amounts of heat and pressure. They are on the surface now but from planet time only a short time. Pleas rememmber what the MOON does to tide, plants & animal (US also). ;) :)
 57 Written by Dawud D' Widow's Son, on 18-12-2008 06:26
Additionally...In Short the Stones by themselves are very much well known what the people of the Land where doing (they\'re not following GOD\'s Laws / they\'re doing sinful acts)....The Stones by themselves are very much afraid to what will happen to the land at the end time (judgment day) and those people who violated the Laws of GOD i.e. open sexuality, Man and Man marraiges and other sinful actions against the LAWS OF GOD in the HOLY BOOKS....
 58 Written by just us, on 27-12-2008 01:06
there are two very real possibilities...one,,ants,, and two if you quickly lift any of these rocks you will find they all have tiny little feet
 59 Written by rocket surgeon, on 08-01-2009 01:21
For those of you who haven't figured it out yet, pyramids build themselves. Now you know.
 60 Written by TheGabe, on 08-01-2009 10:37
I think you're all dickheads.
 61 Written by Chuck Norris, on 25-01-2009 00:02
You caught me. I cannot tell a lie. It was me using my psi powers practicing my mind over matter kung-phooey. 
 
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH.... :x
 62 Written by Clem, on 25-01-2009 09:43
It is quite obvious to me. They are looking for paper and scissors so they can play a game!
 63 Written by Dee, on 13-04-2009 01:04
I think that when it rains and the earth is hard the rocks move due to flash floods!
 64 Written by mahuya, on 21-04-2009 05:58
great .. 
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 65 Written by Samir Babakarkhil, on 01-05-2009 01:34
i like that informaion about rock movin. ;)
 66 Written by obaidullah, on 01-05-2009 01:37
u all are wankers what waste of time fuckers do 1 . :) :grin ;) 8) :p :roll :eek :upset :zzz :sigh :? :cry :( :x
 67 Written by Diwan Abdulla, on 01-05-2009 01:39
dont fucking waste ur time do something alse instead of righting shite just get on with ur works u bastards :x :( :cry :? :eek :upset :zzz 8) :grin :p
 68 Written by me, on 17-05-2009 15:13
For the love of god it's not the wind, flooding, or ice, they move in totally different directions. Plus, all of your explanations happen more than once every few years... And for you people who believe the moon did this, let me tell you: The moon's gravity is strong enough to gently pull the ocean, but if it was powerful enough to pull 500 pound boulders, it'd be sucking everything up and the Earth would be gone. Anything powerful enough to lift these rocks would have huge tracks, which you can't erase, because you can't recreate the signature cracks the ground has. It's unexplained. Period.
 69 Written by Sinncerious, on 14-09-2009 22:20
I have a perfectly good explanation of the moving rocks. Notice I said "explanation" and not "theory". Not alien, god, wind, ice, or magnetic fields.... but far more simpler than all of the above. The matriarch of afternoon court television...Judge Judy. She is the mysterious force behind the rocks moving.
 70 Written by Awesome., on 10-12-2009 09:35
Fail. :x
 71 Written by pwnd, on 10-12-2009 09:54
I agree with Thegabe :? :sigh :zzz :x :( :cry :upset :eek :roll :p 8) ;) :grin :)
 72 Written by The faggot, on 10-12-2009 09:55
:x :( :cry :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x
 73 Written by Drugy, on 10-12-2009 19:28
8) 8) 8) 8) :p :p :p :p :roll :eek :zzz :sigh :? :cry :( :x ;x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :sigh :zzz :zzz :zzz :zzz :zzz :zzz :zzz :zzz :zzz :zzz :zzz :zzz :zzz :zzz :zzz :zzz :zzz :zzz :zzz :grin :grin :grin :grin :grin :) :roll :roll 8) 8) 8) 8) :p :p :p :p :p :upset :upset :upset :upset :upset :upset :upset :upset :upset :upset :upset :upset :upset :upset :upset :upset :upset :upset :upset :upset :upset :upset :upset :upset :upset :upset :upset
 74 Written by person?, on 10-12-2009 19:29
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 75 Written by OBSERVE THE COLORS, on 10-12-2009 19:33
:? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :cry :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :?
 76 Written by Dis goes wit the one above o:, on 10-12-2009 19:36
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 77 Written by Validate name, on 10-12-2009 19:39
:sigh :sigh :sigh :sigh :sigh :sigh :sigh :sigh :sigh :sigh :sigh :) :grin ;) 8) :p :roll :eek :) :grin ;) 8) :p :roll :eek :eek :upset :zzz :sigh :sigh :? :cry :( :x :x :( :x :cry :cry :? :cry :cry :( :x :( :cry :? :roll :eek :upset :zzz :sigh :p 8) ;) :grin :) :x :( :x :( :x :( :x :( :x :( :cry :eek :sigh :cry :eek :upset :upset :upset :upset :cry :cry :cry :cry :cry :cry :cry :cry :cry :cry :? :?
 78 Written by Tarzan, on 28-01-2010 00:10
It's caused by frost heave. The rocks are just sliding downhill on an icy subsurface with mud on top. Very slick.

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