Yardangs
Domes and towers rise from the desert. Some stretch across the sand like palaces, while others stand alone or in groups. These magnificent landforms are called yardangs. All yardangs in an area face the same direction, like a herd of beasts frozen in time. Yardangs form from rock with harder and softer parts. Strong winds, always coming from the same direction, blow sand at the rock. Little by little, the windblown sand chips away tiny bits of softer rock. Yardangs change shape over thousands of years, and they are still changing. With all that wind, one day the older yardangs will be gone—but new ones are always forming!
Level 3 Module 1: Earth Changes
© 2024 Great Minds PBC
Credit: front, Michal Sikorski/Alamy Stock Photo; back, Xinhua/Alamy Stock Photo