In Focus: White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

Just a few miles away from a missile testing site in New Mexico is the White Sands National Monument - a gorgeous stretch of gypsum crystal sand spanning 274 square miles, making it the largest of its sort in the world.

white sands national monument new mexico united states pic.twitter.com/M5a83jTqQq

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According to IFL Science, Gypsum water is soluble, so most of the time it is washed away by rainwater. However, the blistering dry field of Alamogordo's white sand dunes trapped the gypsum in a basin, so the crystals can never escape, leaving a beautiful piece of scenery.

The national monument has been a crowning glory for New Mexico for years, but this time, a new glow was set on the area as a time-lapse video shot by Harun Mehmedinovic showcased the magical place, with its dunes changing shape and creeping along the ground as it dances with the wind. Also due to the unique white sand, the area's inhabitants have evolved to become lighter over the years, to adapt to the background - creating species of white moths, white spiders, white crickets, and even white lizards.

The relative isolation of the white sand dunes in New Mexico also makes it a wonderful place to stargaze - without the light pollution of most of North America; the gorgeous night sky can be seen due to the lack of artificial light from the surroundings.

Despite the seemingly barren landscape, there are plenty of things to do at the National Monument. According to the National Park Service, there are plenty of things to do in the area, such as camping, bicycling, and even sledding and dunes driving. The ever changing landscape also makes it a haven for budding photographers, as the contrasts between the ground and the sky make for a perfect shot - whether you're an amateur who wants to post a cool photo on Instagram, or a professional photographer who wants to showcase a piece of magic in your portfolio.