Zone of Silence

About 145km/90mi north of Bermejillo lie the villages of San José del Centro and

Mohóvano, reached via Ceballos (MEX 49). Between them stretches a region known as the "Zone of Silence" ("Zona del Silencio") where strong electro-magnetic fields created by the massive iron oxide deposits make any radio or television reception impossible. Another remarkable feature of this exceptionally dry region (average annual precipitation 250 mm (10 in.)) is that about 35 per cent more of the sun's rays are absorbed here than in comparable places. Unusual mutations have also been identifed in both plants and animals. The area is the focus of on-going research by an international group of scientists.