raveling
n.— «In some places, air pockets between the soil, rocks and other debris have created a crumbling effect, a process called “dry raveling” that could have played a role in the weekend death of a teenage hiker.» —“Unstable soil needs time for new growth to take root” by Jennifer Bowles Press-Enterprise (Riverside, California) Jan. 14, 2004. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Astronauts returning from space say they experience what’s called the overview effect, a new understanding of the fragility of our planet and our need to reflect on what humans all share as a species. A book about the end of the universe...
Asthenosphere, a geologist’s term for the molten layer beneath the earth’s crust, sparks a journey that stretches all the way from ancient Greece to the author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Plus: What the heck is a dogberg? It’s when...