2020 Metal Monoliths
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About
2020 Metal Monoliths refers to metal blocks that were found in several locations around the Earth in late 2020 and the first of which was discovered in November in Canyonlands National Park in Utah. The news about the discoveries received viral spread on social media, spawning memes and theories on the monolith's possible origin.
In December 2020, artists collective The Most Famous Artist took credit for the installation of the Utah and some of other monoliths.
Origin
On November 18th, 2020, the Aero Bureau of Utah Department of Public Safety reported discovering a monolith of unknown origin during while counting big horn sheep, posting a photograph on its Instagram[1] on November 20th (shown below).
On November 23rd and 24th, the department posted more photographs of the object to Instagram.[2][3] Also on November 23rd, the department issued a press release[4] about the discovery.
On November 18, 2020, the Utah Department of Public Safety Aero Bureau was working with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources to conduct a count of big horn sheep in a portion of southeastern Utah.
While on this mission, they spotted an unusual object and landed nearby to investigate further.
The crew members found a metal monolith installed in the ground in a remote area of red rock.
The crew said there was no obvious indication of who might have put the monolith there.
The exact location of the installation is not being disclosed since it is in a very remote area and if individuals were to attempt to visit the area, there is a significant possibility they may become stranded and require rescue. We are encouraging anyone who knows the location of the monolith to not attempt to visit it due to road conditions.
UPDATED 11/24/20: Official Statement from the Bureau of Land Management: “Although we can’t comment on active investigations, the Bureau of Land Management would like to remind public land visitors that using, occupying, or developing the public lands or their resources without a required authorization is illegal, no matter what planet you are from.”
Spread
On November 20th, 2020, local news network Fox 13[5] first reported about the monolith. On the same day, Fox 13's Twitter account @fox13[16] posted a tweet about the discovery that gained over 280 retweets and 1,300 likes. A quote tweet[17] by user @NickHintonn received over 240 retweets and 1,500 likes.
On November 21st, KSL TV ran a news segment on the discovery,[6] including video footage of the object and an interview with a member of the crew that discovered the object (shown below). The video, tweeted[7] by KSL TV reported Andrew Adams, received over 445,500 views, 6,400 retweets and 9,500 in three days.
The
UtahDPS</a> helicopter was assisting the <a href="https://twitter.com/UtahDWR?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">UtahDWR in counting bighorn sheep in remote southern Utah Wednesday when the crew encountered something entirely 'out of this world'…KSL5TV</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KSLTV?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KSLTV</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Utah?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Utah</a><br><br>Photojournalist: <a href="https://twitter.com/Photog_Steve5?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">Photog_Steve5 pic.twitter.com/f8P0fayDIS— Andrew Adams (@AndrewAdamsKSL) November 21, 2020
The news achieved further spread online after on November 23rd, 2020, New York Post[8] reported about the discovery, also posting a tweet[9] that gained over 300 retweets and 1,200 likes. Later that day, Redditor[10] paycheck_day made a post about the monolith in /r/interestingasfuck subreddit, gaining over 4,100 upvotes.
In late November 2020, the discovery received significant attention from Twitter[14][15] users, who responded to it with memes and theories on the origin of the monolith (shown below). Multiple comparisons to the opening scene of 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey, in which a group of hominids discovers an alien monolith, were made.
Location Discovery
On November 24th, Redditor Quadrenaro created /r/FindTheMonolith[11] subreddit with the purpose of finding the location of the monolith. On the same day, Redditor Bear__Fucker made a post in the subreddit[12][13] containing the exact coordinates of the object, discovered in the Spanish Valley, near Canyonlands National Park.
According to Google Earth data, the monolith was installed in the period between August 17th, 2015, and October 20th, 2016.[18]
On November 25th, Instagram[19] user davidsurber_ posted a video of the monolith, concluding that the structure was aluminum, hollow, not magnetic and consisted of three pieces riveted together.
Disappearance
On November 27th, the monolith was removed from the discovery location. On November 28th, Utah Bureau of Land Management[20] made a statement that the metal structure has been removed by an unknown person or group.
On November 30th, Instagram[25] user rossbernards gave a eyewitness account of the monolith's removal by a group of four men on the night of November 28th, posting a photograph of two men standing over the toppled monolith.
On December 1, YouTube user MrSlackline uploaded a video titled "We REMOVED the Utah Monolith. || Nov 27, 2020 ||", depicting videos and still images of a group of men transporting away the monolith. The video gained 790,000 views in six months, alongside over 2,500 comments that largely criticised their undertaking.
Romanian Monolith
On November 26th, 2020, a second, 2.8 meter (9 feet) tall monolith identical to the one in Utah appeared in the hills of Romania.[21]
On November 30th, Romanian[22] news outlet JurnalFM reported that the monolith had disappeared.
Californian Monolith
On December 2nd, 2020, the third monolith was found[23] on Pine Mountain in Atascadero, California. On December 3rd, 2020, a group of several men pushed over the monolith and replaced it with a plywood cross.[24]
Other Monoliths
On December 6th, 2020, two similar monoliths were discovered[26][27] on Compton Beach on the Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom and in an nature reserve near Oudehorne, Netherlands.
The Most Famous Artist
On December 3rd, 2020, artists collective The Most Famous Artist took credit[28] for placing the monoliths in Utah, Romania and California.
Various Examples
Search Interest
External References
[1] Instagram – utahdpsaerobureau (page unavailable)
[2] Instagram – utahdpsaerobureau (page unavailable)
[3] Instagram – utahdpsaerobureau (page unavailable)
[4] Utah Department of Public Safety (via Wayback Machine) – DPS Aero Bureau Encounters Monolith in Red Rock Country
[5] Fox 13 – We are not alone? Mysterious object found in Utah during sheep count
[6] Facebook – Andrew Adams KSL
[7] Twitter – @AndrewAdamsKSL
[8] New York Post – Mystifying monolith found amid Utah rocks
[10] Reddit – This monolith of unknown origin just discovered in Utah
[11] Reddit – /r/FindTheMonolith
[12] Reddit – Monolith Location
[13] Google Maps – Google Maps
[14] Twitter – @AProdigiosus
[15] Twitter – @JimMFelton
[17] Twitter – @NickHintonn
[18] Reddit – Bear__Fucker
[19] Instagram – davidsurber_
[20] Facebook – Bureau of Land Management – Utah
[21] Unilad – Mysterious Monolith Like One Found In Utah Appears On Romanian Hill
[22] JurnalFM – Monolith Disappeared..
[23] The Atascadero News – Atascadero News
[24] New York Times – California Monolith Is Removed and Replaced With a Cross
[25] Instagram – rossbernards
[26] Sky News – Monolith discovered on Isle of Wight similar to ones found in US and Romania
[27] LC – Monoliet-achtige pilaar aangetroffen in natuurgebied bij Oudehorne
[28] Mashable – Stunt artists who claim they're behind the alien monoliths sell new ones for $45,000
Top Comments
Everything is Terrible
Nov 25, 2020 at 09:55AM EST
Nedhitis
Nov 25, 2020 at 10:16AM EST