Finding A 2001 Monolith In The Utah Desert Wasn’t On My 2020 Bingo Card

by joeheg

If there’s anything we’ve learned this year is not to underestimate 2020. Forget about the novel Coronavirus that caused a global pandemic, shut down the world’s economy, and is still transforming what we think is normal about everyday life. We also had to deal with Murder Hornets, a hurricane season that made us all learn the Greek alphabet, the US Dept of Defense releasing a video showing UFO activity and most amazingly of all, Sharon and I booking two Airbnb cabins in the mountains and enjoying each stay.

I don’t think anyone expected that 2020 would bring us the discovery of a metal monolith buried in the Utah desert.

As a sci-fi fan, I know from 2001: A Space Odyssey and 2010: The Year We Make Contact that the discovery of a monolith is the sign of a significant event in history. In 2020, what are we supposed to think about this?

a metal pillar in a desert

The monolith’s discovery was made by a helicopter crew flying over the area to count bighorn sheep. The location has initially been kept a secret to prevent people from trying to visit as it’s located in a remote area.

Of course, thanks to the internet, people were able to use a combination of the helicopter’s flight path from FlightAware and maps from Google Earth to pinpoint the monolith’s exact location. Using historical data, it appears that the monolith was installed sometime between 2015 and 2016 and remained unnoticed until now.

I found that information from just doing a Google search and looking through some Reddit threads.

Despite the attention the discovery has garnered, the Utah and National Bureau of Land Management has taken the attention in stride.

a screenshot of a social media post

a screenshot of a social media post

a screenshot of a social media post

Honestly, it’s not recommended for people to explore the Utah desert if they’re not familiar with the area. Despite the barren landscape, the area is known for massive temperature changes, flash flooding and treacherous terrain.

This story is best followed on the internet and not by heading out on your four-wheeler into the Utah desert.

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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary

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