I used to laugh at the idea of rocks singing, but a trip to Sedona proved me wrong

For years, I thought the 'singing rocks' people talked about were just wind or a trick of the ear. Then, on a hike near Cathedral Rock, I tapped a specific slab of sandstone with a small hammer from my pack. It rang out with a clear, bell-like tone that lasted a full three seconds, nothing like a normal thud. The guide explained it was due to internal stress and the specific crystalline structure. Has anyone else had a skeptic moment with a geological phenomenon that turned out to be real?

3 comments

3 Comments

evan_jenkins1mo ago

Hey @the_elizabeth, it's actually both the shape and the internal stress!

karen4103d ago

Gotta say @evan_jenkins, you're making me think I need to go tap on more rocks just to figure out what's going on inside them. I've been out here thinking I'm some kind of rock whisperer but turns out I'm just confusing shape with stress. Like, I literally thought a smooth river stone was just a "shy" rock that didn't want to talk. Now you're telling me there's actual physics happening in there? My brain hurts just thinking about it.

the_elizabeth1mo ago

Actually, the sound is more from the rock's shape and cracks, not stress inside.