Main image via Twitter
Bushfires, deaths, murder hornets, explosions and of course, the COVID-19 pandemic, these are just a few of the major things we’ve seen in 2020.
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But there’s still a month till the end of what’s been called “the worst year ever”, and now we have something else to tick off the 2020 list. Aliens. Maybe.
If you’ve been on the internet in the past week (of course you have), you’d have noticed a tall, silver, metal monolith making its way around.
The mysterious object was the cause of many speculations and conspiracy theories as the monolith was discovered in the middle of the southeastern Utah desert in the US.
From aliens to artwork, the mysterious appearance of the monolith gained interest from all corners of the world.
But now, the structure has disappeared.
Aliens? Artists? A mysterious metal monolith was just found in the Utah desert 👽 pic.twitter.com/9vnCFHDlgF
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) November 28, 2020
According to the Utah Bureau of Land Management, the monolith was removed by an “unknown party”.
“We have received credible reports that the illegally installed structure, referred to as the ‘monolith’ has been removed from Bureau of Land Management (BLM) public lands by an unknown party,” the agency shared.
“The BLM did not remove the structure which is considered private property. We do not investigate crimes involving private property which are handled by the local sheriff’s office,” the agency added. “The structure received international and national attention and we received reports that a person or group removed it on the evening of Nov. 27.”
First discovered on 18th November by officers from the Utah Department of Public Safety’s Aero Bureau, the monolith was spotted as the team was flying by helicopter while helping the Division of Wildlife Resources count bighorn sheep in southeastern Utah.
“One of the biologists… spotted it, and we just happened to fly directly over the top of it,” said pilot Bret Hutchings. “He was like, ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa, turn around, turn around!’ And I was like , ‘What.’ And he’s like, ‘There’s this thing back there – we’ve got to go look at it!”
And in the middle of the red rock, the group discovered the shiny, silver monolith sticking out of the ground. The pilot guessed that the structure was “between 10 and 12 feet high” and he noted that it looked like it had been planted.
“I’m assuming it’s some new wave artist or something or, you know, somebody that was a big (2001: A Space Odyssey) fan,” Bret shared, referencing the 1968 movie.
We may not know if an extraterrestrial or earthling installed the “monolith” structure, but we can confirm that it has been taken by an unknown party or parties. More: https://t.co/zmlHF4kPn9 #monolith #utahmonolith #utah pic.twitter.com/TiQMHK9cyM
— BLM Utah (@BLMUtah) November 30, 2020
According to Google Earth, the monolith has been standing since at least 2015 or 2016 – until now.
All over social media, the appearance and disappearance of the monolith has gained much attention with many not surprised that the silver pillar disappeared. Some even have newer theories on its vanishing.
I love this story. Because of course a silver monolith appeared in the Utah dessert only to disappear a few days later. #2020 https://t.co/zpI2D4ydv2
— Kim Phillips (@kmasonphillips) November 29, 2020
honestly the most interesting thing to happen this year is that giant metal monolith in utah mysteriously be in the desert then DISAPPEAR once we found out?? Some form of street art?? Aliens?? Wouldn’t be surprised by anything at this point
— ya girl (@lindsseeeyyy) November 29, 2020
It's a shame we will never see the film. Now everyone knows the monolith.
— Andy Este (@AndyEste0) November 29, 2020
It's earths USB drive, somebody pulled it out & we're all gonna die.
— Michael Baker (@Bakershane78) November 29, 2020
So, 2020 is going to conclude with an alien invasion, then?
— Aer C. S. Kiar (@s_kiar) November 29, 2020
... At least it'll be thematically consistent with the rest of the year, if nothing else. pic.twitter.com/oeH1HRktha
We have so many questions.
Was it aliens? Was it a work of art? Was it for a movie? Was it something that fell out of the sky? Was it just a metal block? Did it have powers or technology beyond our understanding? Guess we’ll never know now…
Are you surprised that the monolith disappeared? Share your thoughts with us?
Info via CNN