Top 7 facts about the hottest place in the world, where you can fry eggs at outdoor temperature

The hottest, driest, and lowest national park above sea level - Death Valley is a land of extremes .

Things You May Not Know About Death Valley

Established on October 24, 1994, Death Valley National Park is a beautiful yet challenging landscape where unique wildlife has developed ingenious adaptations to survive in the harsh, arid environment.

1. Death Valley is the lowest point in North America

This unique valley straddles the border between California and Nevada. At 280 feet below sea level, the Badwater Basin area of ​​Death Valley is a surreal landscape that tricks the senses. What many visitors mistake for snow is actually a thick layer of salt that covers the entire ground.

This valley lies on the border between the states of California and Nevada.

Here, after heavy rains and storms, minerals from the soil and rocks are carried down by rainwater to form temporary lakes. After the water evaporates, the minerals crystallize to form salt. This process has lasted for thousands of years and created an incredibly thick layer of salt.

2. You can't stand the heat in Death Valley for long.

In July 2018, the valley—the hottest place on Earth—experienced its hottest month on record, with daytime highs of nearly 123 degrees Fahrenheit (53 degrees Celsius) for four consecutive days. You could fry an egg in that heat, but that doesn't mean you should.

3. Life comes from wild flowers

Despite its deadly name, Death Valley comes alive in the spring. When conditions are right, the hillsides are carpeted with yellow, pink, purple or white flowers.

First, a heavy rain washes away the coating of wildflower seeds and allows them to germinate. For the plants to continue to grow, rainstorms must come regularly and consistently throughout the winter and spring months. Although the blooms are short-lived, the fields leave a lasting impression on visitors and attract large numbers of pollinators such as butterflies, hummingbirds and bees.

4. The rocks can move on their own.

The Racetrack Playa area is home to one of Death Valley's most enduring mysteries. Scattered across the dry lakebed are hundreds of boulders that can move on their own, leaving long tracks in the ground. Some of the boulders, weighing over 300kg, can travel as far as 457m from their original location.

Moving rocks in Death Valley.

For many years, the origin of the rocks' movement remained a big question in the scientific community. However, in 2014, researchers discovered some possible causes for the rocks' movement. Specifically, during winter floods, low temperatures at night cause the water to freeze into a thin layer of ice, which gradually melts during the day. At this time, strong winds push the rocks forward on the slippery surface, leaving tracks in the mud below. Although the secret of the moving rocks has been discovered, its appeal to tourists has not changed.

5. If you listen carefully, the sand will sing to you.

Although the dunes make up only a small portion of Death Valley, they are still one of the park's most memorable sights. At the top of the dunes, you can experience one of the desert's strangest phenomena: singing sand. As sand slides down the steep face of the tall dunes, a sound that sounds like the bass notes of a pipe organ or the distant drone of an airplane can be heard. The cause of the phenomenon is unknown, but it is most likely caused by friction between sand grains.

6. Golf course but not used for playing golf

Devils Golf Course is the name given to the most unusual terrain in the valley, where it is often said that 'only the devil can play golf'. The ground in this area has been eroded by wind and rain to form beautiful jagged towers. If you listen carefully, you can even hear the tiny explosions of billions of salt crystals expanding and contracting in the intense heat.

7. Fish living in the desert

 There are six species of fish that can survive in the salty waters and harsh conditions of Death Valley.

Finding fish in the desert may seem impossible, but surprisingly there are six species of fish that can survive the salty waters and harsh conditions of Death Valley, one of which is the endangered Devils Hole Pupfish. It lives only in the 93-degree waters of the Devils Hole cave, where the water temperature and oxygen levels would be lethal to most other fish. These iridescent blue pups, measuring just a few inches long, are among the rarest fish in the world.