On Earth, there are stones that suddenly move away from where they have rested for a long time. For example, in California, USA, stones weighing half a ton have been observed “taking strolls” at the bottom of the dry Racetrack Playa without any assistance.
Racetrack Playa is located within the Death Valley National Park in California, one of the hottest places on Earth. In 1917, temperatures reached up to 50 degrees Celsius for 43 consecutive days. The stones move sluggishly, sometimes in a zigzag pattern, traversing several meters and leaving distinct trails on the sandy ground. They do not roll, nor do they rotate; instead, they “slide” across the surface as if pulled by an invisible force. Scientists have repeatedly attempted to document their movement, but to no avail: no one has been able to capture the moment the stones “wander.” Yet, whenever observers step back, the stones begin to shift again—sometimes moving up to half a meter per hour. Researchers have monitored the area day and night but have not identified anyone or anything assisting their movement.
The strange phenomenon of moving stones is not limited to the United States. Near the village of Gorodishe (close to Pereslavl-Zalessky, Russia), there is a stone known as Sin. According to legend, this stone holds the dreams and desires of a deity. In the early 17th century, the local church declared war on paganism. Father Anufri, a deacon of the church, ordered a large hole to be dug to throw the Sin stone into it. However, a few years later, the stone mysteriously resurfaced. 150 years later, the church in Pereslavl decided to place the mysterious stone at the base of the local bell tower. They placed the stone on a sled and pulled it across the ice of Lake Plesheev. The ice broke, and the stone sank to a depth of 5 meters. But soon after, fishermen began to notice that the stone had changed its position. It slowly moved along the bottom of the lake. And 40 years later, it crawled up to the shore at the foot of Mount Iarilin, where it remains to this day.
In the far east of Russia, not far from Lake Bolon, there is a stone weighing half a ton, almost round in shape. Locals call it the dead stone. However, it also enjoys “traveling.” Normally, it lies still for several months, but sometimes it suddenly moves.
Perhaps the most mysterious stone is located in Tibet, near an ancient Buddhist monastery. Not only can this stone “walk,” but it can also gently “climb” mountains. Weighing 1,100 kg, its ability to “summit” is astonishing. The stone’s journey to the mountain peak has lasted over 1,000 years. It moves along a defined route: initially, it “climbs” to a certain height, then crawls down. Eventually, it moves in a circular pattern. The time taken to ascend and descend the mountain is about 15 years, while the circular journey of 60 km takes 50 years. This stone is approximately 50 million years old.
For decades, scientists have attempted to explain the mysteries surrounding these stones. Numerous hypotheses have been proposed, including some mystical explanations. Some researchers suggest that the moving stones represent a form of life. They theorize that life could be formed entirely from silicon (the main component of rocks). Furthermore, the legends of “living stones” are not coincidental: farmers in Northern Europe and the Baltic region still seriously believe that stones not only have the ability to move but can also rise, as they frequently appear in cleared fields.
There are also more scientific explanations for the phenomenon of wandering stones. Some scientists believe that it is due to geomagnetic influence, as most wandering stones tend to “reside” in areas with strong geomagnetic instability. However, it is unclear how large the geomagnetic field must be to counteract gravitational forces to move these massive stones from one place to another.
Another hypothesis suggests that the movement of the stones is influenced by rain and wind. Researchers assert that the stones are able to move by sliding on clay soil when pushed by strong winds. However, in the case of the stones in Death Valley, this hypothesis proves inadequate. Firstly, rainfall is very rare there. Secondly, the trails left by the stones often contradict the direction of the wind.
In 1995, a team of geologists in Massachusetts, USA, after extensive research in Death Valley, proposed another hypothesis. They suggested that the primary condition for the stones to move is a sudden reduction in friction. In Death Valley, there is often a significant temperature difference between day and night, leading to the formation and accumulation of water: droplets of water accumulate on the surface of the stones at night and freeze. The icy surface is very slippery, allowing strong gusts of wind to dislodge the stones from their resting places and facilitate their movement.
