What is the main geological difference between Racetrack Playa and Spain's Altillo Chica lagoon?

Sailing stones of Death Valley

Chapter 1

The mystery of Racetrack Playa

Chapter 2

Cracking the cold case

Chapter 3

Global glides and dry lakes

YOUR GOAL

Master of Sailing stones of Death Valley

Ch 3 · Global glides and dry lakes
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Global glides and dry lakes
BETA

hank Global glides and dry lakes

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hank Sailing Stones Death Valley

On Racetrack Playa, stones slowly glide, yeah, moved by ice and wind.

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hank Microbes and mud in Spain

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The worldwide map of playas

hank Dry lakebeds, or playas, exist on nearly every continent, hosting unique geological and ecological wonders.

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Microbes and mud in Spain

hank In warmer climates, slimy communities of microbes replace ice to help rocks slide across dry lakebeds.

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Fun Fact

Extraterrestrial dry lakes: Scientists study Earth's dry playas to understand similar flat basins on Mars and Saturn's moon Titan, which may have once held liquid.

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Glossary
playa (noun)
A dry, flat area of land in a desert basin where water evaporates. California's Racetrack Playa is the famous dry lake bed where heavy boulders mysteriously slide across the mud.

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Gossip

Should tourists be banned from visiting delicate dry lakebeds?

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Quiz

Which of these is a famous dry lakebed in South Africa similar to the American playas?

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hank The worldwide map of playas

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Quiz

Why do footprints on a wet playa cause long-term damage to the sailing stone environment?

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hank The delicate rules of conservation

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Quiz

Instead of ice sheets, what organic material helps rocks slide in some warmer Spanish lagoons?

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hank The Spanish connection at Altillo Chica

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Quiz

What is the primary mineral that makes up the white, salty crust of many global playas?

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Quiz

What is the main geological difference between Racetrack Playa and Spain's Altillo Chica lagoon?

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Quiz

In which European country did scientists discover a similar moving stone phenomenon in a seasonal lagoon?

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Quiz

What is the name of the Spanish lagoon where moving stones were documented in 2013?

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Quiz

What human action poses the greatest threat to preserving the delicate tracks of the sailing stones?

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