# Mysterious 2001-like monolith discovered in Utah **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 23, 2020, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-2001-like-monolith-discovered-in-utah/926298 "2020-11-23T21:34:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-2001-like-monolith-discovered-in-utah/926298/62 "2020-11-29T18:24:10Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > not wanting the area to be overrun by wannabe frat bros who would try to tip it over I could see a certain demographic using it for target practice. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-2001-like-monolith-discovered-in-utah/926298/63 "2020-11-29T18:28:55Z")
Schroedinger’s Art Installation: It was on exhibit only as long as no one was able to see it. Once people could see it, it disappeared. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-2001-like-monolith-discovered-in-utah/926298/64 "2020-11-29T18:51:33Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Schroedinger’s Art Installation: It was on exhibit only as long as no one was able to see it. I believe it’s also called the [Theory of Obscurity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Not_Available_(album)): > In 1978, the official word was that **The Residents** had stated that [the album] _Not Available_ could never be released. The group claimed that they had recorded the album in secrecy as a way of exercising their Theory of Obscurity to its fullest and, in strict accordance with the Theory, the work could never be released until its creators no longer recalled its existence. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-2001-like-monolith-discovered-in-utah/926298/65 "2020-11-29T20:34:38Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > While I’m here, can someone explain the logic of this sentence to me, from one of the linked articles? “Finch said because the structure is on public lands it is considered private property, meaning the BLM does not have the authorization to remove it.” Yeah, that’s sort of confusing. I mean, the object would be some sort of private property, in the sense of “this thing must have _belonged to someone_ before being put here”, but I don’t see how that would preclude the BLM from removing an unauthorized structure and then trying to locate the owner to recover costs and assess penalties. > [@Tripler](#): > > I gotta ask the peanut gallery, out of genuine curiosity– _what laws_ ? LIttering? There was no graffiti or destruction of property. . . Cutting into the rocks to install a semipermanent structure (apparently there since at least 2016) almost certainly requires a permit. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-2001-like-monolith-discovered-in-utah/926298/66 "2020-11-29T22:43:49Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > > [@Colibri](#): > > > > Schroedinger’s Art Installation: It was on exhibit only as long as no one was able to see it. > > I believe it’s also called the Theory of Obscurity… At my high school it was announced, from time to time, that “The Enigma Society will not be meeting this week.” And as far as I know, it never did. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-2001-like-monolith-discovered-in-utah/926298/67 "2020-11-29T23:01:59Z")
> [@Tripler](#): > > I gotta ask the peanut gallery, out of genuine curiosity– _what laws_ ? LIttering? There was no graffiti or destruction of property. . . From the BLM > Official statement: “Although we can’t comment on active investigations, we 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.” And the excavation of the sandstone required to install the monolith is destruction of property. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-2001-like-monolith-discovered-in-utah/926298/68 "2020-11-30T03:34:50Z")
> [@Retzbu\_Tox](#): > > Someone left a small pyramid and some rocks in its place. No story I’ve seen on this has pointed out that, in Clarke’s original story “The SEntinel”, the alien artifact was more like a pyramid. They changed it to a monolith for the film to be more vuisually impressive. As Arthur C. Clarke himself said: > [@](#): > > I am continually annoyed by careless references to “The Sentinel” as “the story on which 2001 is based”; it bears about as much relation to the movie as an [acorn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acorn) to the resultant full-grown oak. (Considerably less, in fact, because ideas from several other stories were also incorporated.) Even the elements that Stanley Kubrick and I _did_ actually use were considerably modified. Thus the ‘glittering, roughly pyramidal structure… set in the rock like a gigantic, many-faceted jewel’ became—after several modifications—the famous black monolith. And the locale was moved from the [Mare Crisium](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mare_Crisium) to the most spectacular of all lunar craters, [Tycho](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tycho_(lunar_crater))—easily visible to the naked eye from Earth at Full Moon > **[The Sentinel (short story)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sentinel_(short_story))** > > "The Sentinel" is a science fiction short story by British author Arthur C. Clarke, written in 1948 and first published in 1951. Its plot and ideas influenced the development of the 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey and its corresponding novel. > "The Sentinel" was written in 1948 for a BBC competition in which it failed to place. It was first published in the magazine 10 Story Fantasy, in the Spring 1951 issue, under the title "Sentinel of Eternity". Despite the story's initial failure, it ultim... So apparently the jokers responsible for switching the obelisk that was there for a pyramid were hip to the backstory of **2001** ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-2001-like-monolith-discovered-in-utah/926298/69 "2020-11-30T13:56:21Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > … > So apparently the jokers responsible for switching the obelisk that was there for a pyramid were hip to the backstory of **2001** But they forgot the forcefield. People always seem to forget the forcefield. What’s up with that? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-2001-like-monolith-discovered-in-utah/926298/70 "2020-11-30T13:58:00Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > And the excavation of the sandstone required to install the monolith is destruction of property. Was sandstone excavated? I missed that part . . . I assumed they just dug a hole in some ‘valley sand.’ Tripler If it’s gone, all’s well that ends well, no? ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-2001-like-monolith-discovered-in-utah/926298/71 "2020-11-30T14:10:46Z")
It was embedded in solid sandstone. There were saw marks at the corners shown in one of the videos up-thread. Like, where you have to cut past the corner to get the full depth as far as you want. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-2001-like-monolith-discovered-in-utah/926298/72 "2020-11-30T14:34:33Z")
I stand corrected then. Thank you! I am surprised at “saw marks.” I would have reckoned phaser/disruptor scorchmarks. Tripler Saw marks tell me our Reticulan friends are into DIY home repair, then. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-2001-like-monolith-discovered-in-utah/926298/73 "2020-11-30T15:45:51Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > But they forgot the forcefield. People always seem to forget the forcefield. What’s up with that? They weren’t on sale at Home Depot this week. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-2001-like-monolith-discovered-in-utah/926298/74 "2020-11-30T16:13:03Z")
If there’s any switch or button on its, for the love of God, DON’T PRESS IT! 😳 ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-2001-like-monolith-discovered-in-utah/926298/75 "2020-11-30T17:20:30Z")
Seconded. I speak from professional experience. Tripler It could be one shiny, triangular hell of a UXO. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-2001-like-monolith-discovered-in-utah/926298/76 "2020-11-30T17:56:59Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > If there’s any switch or button on its, for the love of God, DON’T PRESS IT! 😳 > [@Tripler](#): > > Seconded. I speak from professional experience. > > Tripler > It could be one shiny, triangular hell of a UXO. You mean like this documentary on properly defeating a UXO? [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/MFc4MxupCNM/hqdefault.jpg "Colonel Klink Almost Blows Up Stalag 13 - Hogan's Heroes - 1966") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFc4MxupCNM) 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-2001-like-monolith-discovered-in-utah/926298/77 "2020-11-30T18:58:34Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > You mean like this documentary on properly defeating a UXO? Spot on. A _perfect_ operation, in my humble opinion. Tripler Of course, one should always be just as cautious when dealing with [silverplated items.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silverplate) ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-2001-like-monolith-discovered-in-utah/926298/78 "2020-11-30T19:22:13Z")
In fighters we always took a certain comfort in the idea that if we got hit or crashed: > Well, it won’t hurt for long. I assume EOD folks share a similar mindset, whether the object of your attentions is silver plated or not. Reminds me of a hoary joke told about campfires in the Old West: > Stupid white man build large fire sit way back. > Smart red man build small fire sit close. When dealing with silverplate problems as Chief Brody almost said to Cap’n Quint: > We’re gonna need a _much_ longer screwdriver. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-2001-like-monolith-discovered-in-utah/926298/79 "2020-11-30T19:44:16Z")
Don’t worry. Those things don’t go off unless you hit them just right. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/0GuX0NEfxiw/maxresdefault.jpg "LOONEY TUNES (Looney Toons): BUGS BUNNY - Falling Hare (1943) (Remastered) (HD 1080p)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GuX0NEfxiw) ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-2001-like-monolith-discovered-in-utah/926298/80 "2020-11-30T20:11:58Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > I assume EOD folks share a similar mindset, whether the object of your attentions is silver plated or not. Our motto is: “Initial success, or total failure.” @DPRK, one of my going away gifts when I left active duty for my present job, was a mallet stencilled “Dud Tester.” Tripler Good times, good times. ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2020, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-2001-like-monolith-discovered-in-utah/926298/81 "2020-12-01T05:43:38Z")
This is so stinking cool! [Another one in Romania!](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9001495/Now-mysterious-Arthur-C-Clarke-style-monolith-appears-ROMANIA-vanished-Utah.html) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-2001-like-monolith-discovered-in-utah/926298.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mysterious-2001-like-monolith-discovered-in-utah/926298.md?page=5)