Apologies, sci-fi enthusiasts: Your hopes of encountering a monolith reminiscent of “2001: A Space Odyssey” have been dashed — at least until another one emerges in this recent peculiar trend.
The enigmatic mirrored monolith that popped up north of Las Vegas has been taken down as confirmed by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department on Friday. However, the mystery of how it got there and who installed it remains unsolved.
Authorities initially revealed the perplexing finding on Monday, removing it due to safety and environmental concerns. Two images depicted the reflective, rectangular metal structure towering 77 inches high amidst the desolate desert scenery near Gass Peak.
“We come across many strange things while people are out hiking, like not being prepared for the weather or bringing enough water…but take a look at this!” the post exclaimed.
Upon announcing its removal, Las Vegas Police described the structure as created from “reflective sheet metal folded into a triangle and secured with rebar and concrete to the ground.”
This monolith was merely the latest in a series of similar structures that have appeared globally since at least 2020, starting with a nearly 12-foot structure discovered deep in Utah’s desert and disappearing shortly after. This incident sparked an internet frenzy during the pandemic, with online investigators attempting to uncover its origins.
Subsequently, monoliths surfaced and swiftly vanished in Romania, California, Colorado, and once again in Las Vegas, this time on Fremont Street, all within the same year. Most recently, a 10-foot steel structure materialized in Wales in March.
The responsible parties behind most of these installations remain unknown. An anonymous collective of artists claimed credit for the California and Utah monoliths, but when questioned by the BBC about one found on an island off England’s southern coast, they responded, “The monolith is beyond my control at this point. Best of luck to all the extraterrestrials diligently working around the world to perpetuate the myth.”
Las Vegas officials revealed that the latest discovered monolith is being stored at an undisclosed location until a decision is made regarding its disposal or preservation. They emphasized that city police are not currently investigating the object or the “circumstances surrounding its existence,” urging the public not to leave any items behind in the area, which is part of the Desert National Wildlife Refuge, to protect the delicate wildlife inhabiting it.
