Strange Planet: AT-AT Stampede?

No, they’re racing camels in Abu Dhabi. What’s riding on their backs? Robot jockeys with mechanical whips. Why? Because the traditional child jockeys were banned in 2002, says Carl Hoffman, reporting from the races near Liwa.

For more photos, including a gold vending machine in a hotel lobby, and the annual camel beauty contest, check out our new online Abu Dhabi Guide.

Photo by Dave Yoder, National Geographic