Appearing like snow drifts in the desert – or the biggest meringues you've ever seen – the formations here are called ventifacts: moulded by wind-driven sand, ventifacts transform parts of the ...

The wind also strips hard rocky outcrops bare of soil, which leaves extensive stony desert pavements (hamada) with sand-blasted faceted stones (ventifacts) across about 12% of the area. An extensive, ...