SPACE.com Reporter Mike Wall in Death Valley
SPACE.com reporter Mike Wall atop a ridge in Death Valley on May 1, 2012.
Dunes in the Desert
Sand dunes in the distance near the southern edge of Death Valley.
Flat Tire in Death Valley
One of the convoy's cars got a flat tire on the afternoon of May 1. It's not easy to change a tire on a 2012 Chevy Suburban, especially if there's no manual in the glove box telling you where the well-hidden jack is.
Sperry Wash
Sperry Wash, near the southern edge of Death Valley.
Zebra-tailed Lizard in Death Valley
A zebra-tailed lizard perches on a rock in Sperry Wash, near the southern edge of Death Valley.
Death Valley 'Dropstone'
A "dropstone" (gray rock at center-left) sits wedged among the many layers lining Sperry Wash. Scientists think this stone was deposited by a melting iceberg 600 million years ago or so, showing that much of the Earth was glaciated at the time.
The World's Tallest Thermometer
This is apparently the world's tallest thermometer. It advertises a Bob's Big Boy restaurant in the town of Baker, Calif., south of Death Valley.
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Michael Wall is a Senior Space Writer with Space.com and joined the team in 2010. He primarily covers exoplanets, spaceflight and military space, but has been known to dabble in the space art beat. His book about the search for alien life, "Out There," was published on Nov. 13, 2018. Before becoming a science writer, Michael worked as a herpetologist and wildlife biologist. He has a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Sydney, Australia, a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. To find out what his latest project is, you can follow Michael on Twitter.