Why does this rock move?

when its raining the ground turns muddy and at the same time it could b very windy.....like it would be in an open spot like that and thats what causes it 2 slide......it happens every now and again,thats y theres turns... wind doesn't blow in the same direction all the time

THEY'RE ON THEIR WAY TO SEE GUNS & ROSES FOR THE CHINESE DEMOCRACY TOUR!

Nazi's!

this rocks

never been filmed?!? Damn, wonder if i could get a grant to sit on ass and film rocks?

is this Playa anywhere near a fault line? could be constant tiny tremors moving them slowly across the landscape.

Gnomes. It's gnomes.

Actually if these were moved by the wind, all the lines of movement would mimick each other. Wind from the west. all the rocks move west. From the south all rocks move south. I don't believe this is the case.

My theory is frost heaving in combination with the shape of the rock (yes the desert can have frost) When the ground freezes, it expands. When it thaws, it shrinks. These two things together provide a nominal amount of energy that moves the rocks in a direction that is determined by their shape. Normally this wouldn't move rocks. In this case however, the flatness and the soil type allows this to occurr. Just my take.

these rocks...well....rock!
i agree with r3morse, very coolage indeed

but it's funny what people are saying
"they're looking for a companian and migrate" xD!

I would love to!

most. awesome. place. ever.
you most definitely have to go if you haven't been...

No time-lapse footage ... no video. It's just the warden shifting them about!

Maybe they needed to stretch their legs. There out in the middle of a desert and they think we wont notice.

i wonder if they'd let me hitch a ride! "hey my car broke down a couple miles back..."

I had not thought about the "metaphysical" properties, but 'tis true. :) This place is remarkable isn't it?

It is known that every "rock" to put it loosely does have metaphysical properties. That could explain the movement of the rocks. It could be a place where everything just "comes together" in a very strong way.

How weird! I never knew about this, what is even more amazing to me is that it is not always in a straight line, there are some definite curves suggesting changing directions! If only a slight change in direction.

While I really like Fidgityfoos explanation of the rock movement, much more poetic, it is more likely the winds that come with a brief coud burst.
I live near this part of the country and the winds that come with a cloud burst can often approach tornado like speeds, and when this ground gets wet, it gets very slick.
I have seen dust devils rising hundreds of feet in the air, carrying along all manner of debris, and they can and will move many objects.

I'd never heard of this before and was intrigued. My thanks to cool_blonde_girl for posting it.

I couldn't get away from thinking that when the bed turns to mud the rocks should sink, or settle - not move, and that the wind would have a hard time moving something that weighs this much but isn't very big. But if the surface is solid enough, just slick, like an ice rink....

This site has a number of good photos.

i like remorse's explanation..nice.

this also reminds me of tom robbins book 'skinny legs and all'.

This rock moves because it has an intense back-beat and driving rhythm. The lyrics are so-so and repetitive, and the chord progression is limited, but that only makes it so it keeps in the same direction. The melody keeps going over and over, and you can't get it out of your head.

That's why the rock moves. --- at least that's according to Bill Haley.

Vibration on the Earth's surface is most likely explanation, even if it rain's and wind's blow them about somethime's.
Although the report say's these rock's have never been filmed, this is totally untrue, they've been filmed for decade's, I watched a very interesting timelapse film of these rock's year's ago in the 70's, and nope, it never rained, and nope, there was not a lot of extreme prevailing winds on any of the footage, although wind is a contributory factor especially with the rather larger rock's, sitting on a smooth dusty surface give's these rock's a bigger surface area for wind to give their side's a bit of a kick.
I believe the area might be over a vibrating subterainian plate's that are loose enough to cause the vibration's on the surface which also enable's movement of hundred's of meter's over a period of time.

Here's an interesting site with a timelapse clip if you want to see these rock's in action.

http://geosun.sjsu.edu/paula/rtp/

http://jonsullivan.com/racetrack.php

The answer is easy, these are former pet rocks and are on the run.

I always thought it was magnetism

its not the rocks that move its the earth that moves. but now ask yourself the real question! WHY DONT THE ROCKS MOVE?

Yeah, the explanation given in a recent program on the sky network here in England was the same as what "r3morse" said above about winds blowing those rocks once the ground is moist and slippery. Oh well, plausible explanation but won't it be most intriguing to let one' mind wonder and pounder on other far fetched ideas, space entities wreaking havoc......mmmmhh.

They're trying to tell us something!!!

Look at the message they're spelling out!!

"8==D"

The rocks are looking for a companion. They migrate in winter mating rituals where they use the gravitational field of the planet to gently slide along the ground. Once they meet a suitable mate, they then produce millions of particles of dust that form eventually into their offspring. Small pebbles!

Sometimes you can hear their mating call when sat alone in the dark of the desert! Its a very low sonic vibration! Quite enchanting. ;)

It's very hot and they just want some shade.

These rocks are cool.