El extraño caso de las rocas deslizantes de La Mancha y del Valle de la MuerteAplicación del método científico

Résumé

In order to draw a valid interpretation of a natural process, scientists follow the scientific method, which is based on observation, hypothesis formulation and experimentation. This method represents the basic instrument that science uses in order to advance. In addition, the method can be useful for problem solving, decision making and correct judgments. For all these reasons, the scientific method should be taught adequately to students, not just as a sequence of protocol steps, but as an integral part of science classes. Students should be encouraged to actively participate in the investigation and resolution of real problems. This paper illustrates how the scientific method can be applied in the research of a real geological process that has puzzled all kinds of observers for decades. The process consists of the movement of heavy rocks, apparently self-propelled, across the flat beds of playas. Rocks slide across the bed, leaving behind long furrows. Since no one to date has convincingly documented what causes the displacement of the rocks, several hypotheses have been proposed, which remain the subject of debate among scientists. Until 2002, the movement of rocks had only been well documented in Racetrack Playa (California, USA), but has recently also been reported in a wetland of La Mancha (Central Spain), so it is in our proximity.