Mysterious singing dunes of the Badain-Jaran desert (18 photos + 1 video)

Deep in the heart of China, in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, lies the Badain Jaran Desert, home to the tallest stationary sand dunes on the planet.





They reach a height of approximately 500 meters, comparable to skyscrapers. But the main wonder of these dunes is not their size, but their sound.



These dunes really do sing. The phenomenon of singing sands occurs in approximately 35 locations worldwide, from beaches to deserts. However, the mechanism of the sound is still not fully understood. It is believed that under certain conditions—dry sand, a slope steepness of about 30 degrees, and a uniform grain structure—a low-frequency hum is generated when a small landslide occurs on the leeward side of a dune.

This hum can reach 105 decibels (louder than a typical vacuum cleaner) and last up to a minute, even after the visible movement of the sand has ceased.





Interestingly, the singing only occurs in the summer, when the sand is completely dry. In winter, even with minimal moisture, the dunes fall silent. Smaller dunes in the same desert remain silent, confirming that not only the properties of the sand but also the dune structure itself are critical to the "music."



If you run your hand over the dune's surface, you can hear a different sound—short gurgling pulses. This effect can be observed year-round and depends on the shape and composition of the sand grains.



Thus, the Badain Jaran Desert is not just a geographical record holder, but a natural resonator whose mystery still captivates scientists.







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