by Mary Syrett
In April of 2011, while hiking among the sand dunes in Great Sand Dunes National Park, I heard something unusual. If you listen carefully, you may discover that sand at various locations among the dunes “sings,” making audible sound vibrations.
Sand dunes in the park do seem to have a built-in “sound track” – a phenomenon that has been reported from other widely separated dune areas. While “music” emanating from the dunes at times can be compared to the strains of a chorus in the distance, the effect at other times more closely resembles the playing of violins.