The Mystery of Moving Sailing Stones

Imagine rocks gliding across a desert floor, leaving trails behind them. This strange phenomenon has puzzled scientists for decades. These “sailing stones” move without human or animal interference, relying on nature’s forces. Thin ice sheets, formed on cold nights, act as slippery sails. Wind pushes these sheets, while water creates a slick surface, allowing stones to glide smoothly. Researchers have even tracked stones traveling over 224 meters in one winter, proving how rare and fascinating this event is.

Publication Details

Journal
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Published
2025-06-30
DOI
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15772926
Primary Topic
Experimental and Theoretical Physics Studies
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

The Mystery of Moving Sailing Stones

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Experimental and Theoretical Physics Studies
article

The Mystery of Moving Sailing Stones

article en

Abstract

Imagine rocks gliding across a desert floor, leaving trails behind them. This strange phenomenon has puzzled scientists for decades. These “sailing stones” move without human or animal interference, relying on nature’s forces. Thin ice sheets, formed on cold nights, act as slippery sails. Wind pushes these sheets, while water creates a slick surface, allowing stones to glide smoothly. Researchers have even tracked stones traveling over 224 meters in one winter, proving how rare and fascinating this event is.

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Life below water
Openalex Percentile: Top 54%
Experimental and Theoretical Physics Studies
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The Mystery of Moving Sailing Stones · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) (2025) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS