Sliding Rocks Bemuse Scientists

An anonymous reader writes "Scientists can't figure out why these rocks — weighing up to several hundred pounds each — slide across a dry lake bed. The leading theory proposes that wind moves the rocks after a rain when the lake bed consists of soft and very slippery mud.

Comments

no buildup in front

[egburr]

In all those pictures, I don't see any buildup of dust in front of the rocks, though there is plenty on the sides of the paths. Usually, when I push something through the dirt/mud/snow/whatever, I end up with a good buildup in front, too. I wonder where that has gone.

Re:Mark Newman Poster

[stoolpigeon]

In the desert the ground is really, really hard. It is completely plausible that a thin layer on the top could be slimy mud, while hard clay lies beneath.
 
I don't think you appreciate how remote this site is and what an effort it would be to pull off something like that. I really don't think it is someone messing around or that the wind theory is as unlikely as you think.

Re:Begs the question

[fbjon]

It still seems strange. The place is really dry, meaning there's lots of sun. Just make a small package with a GPS receiver, some simple weather instruments, a radio uplink to a nearby relay, a small camera and a solar panel with battery. If the GPS detects any movement, or the weather instruments detect any drastic changes, turn on all other stuff and start piping data to the relay, which passes it on by whatever means.

If anybody steals the package, it'll sound an alert and record who took it, and where they're taking it.