The mysteriously moving Death Valley rocks known as “Sailing stones” have left scientists scratching their heads for years. But a group of researchers has finally discovered the secret to their movement across the Racetrack Playa. After carefully tracking the “Sailing Stones” with GPS monitors and time-lapse photography, scientists were able to breakdown the unique balance of rain, ice, wind, and sun that create the baffling movement. A small pond under the “Sailing Stones” cyclically thaws and freezes. As the ice breaks apart into glaciers, a steady and slight wind pushes the sheets to move the rocks. While it's pretty exciting to understand this curious natural phenomenon, one of the scientists described the tedious research as “the most boring experiment ever.”
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