I DIDN'T imagine it would be like this. A breath of wind, a crack and then it happened. After seven years of sleuthing, the mystery I'd been pursuing resolved itself instantly before my eyes. Exalted, I rushed down to the edge of the lake bed to watch more closely – slowly but surely, the rocks were moving and now I knew why (see graphic).
Death Valley National Park is an awesome, dramatic place and Racetrack Playa is no exception. The dry lake bed sits 1100 metres above sea level at the end of a 40-kilometre rocky road that climbs up among the Joshua trees. The road can take a heavy toll on vehicles. In a dozen trips, I've had five flat tyres and two busted shock absorbers.
The playa itself is staggeringly flat – its elevation changes by no more than a few centimetres across the whole of its ...
To continue reading this article, subscribe to receive access to all of newscientist.com, including 20 years of archive content.
