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ScienceArchaeologyAn Earthquake Damaged a Pyramid in Mexico—and Exposed an Aztec Temple Hidden Below
On September 19, 2017, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck central Mexico, killing nearly 370 people. But something good has come from this tragic event: The quake damaged an ancient pyramid, revealing a previously unknown Aztec temple underneath. While checking for structural damage inflicted by the 2017 earthquake, archaeologists with Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and … Continued
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Tech NewsStunned Scientists Detect Suspected Hidden Chamber Within Great Pyramid of Giza
Though they were constructed nearly 5,000 years ago, the Great Pyramids of Egypt are still packed with secrets. Using a technique that leverages the power of cosmic rays, scientists have confirmed the presence of a large empty space within Khufu’s pyramid—a void that’s signaling the presence of a possible hidden chamber. It’s tempting to think … Continued
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Tech News
There Are Strange Hot Spots On Giza’s Great Pyramid, And No One’s Quite Sure Why
Well, that didn’t take long. Only a few weeks after a team of scientists began a project using novel scanning techniques to analyze Egypt’s major pyramids, they’ve discovered strange temperature anomalies—but it’s still unclear what’s causing them. In late October, Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities launched a project called Scan Pyramids that will use non-invasive technology … Continued
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Tech NewsCosmic Rays Could Help Unlock the Secrets of the Pyramids
There’s a long and colorful history of people trying to unlock the secret of how the Egyptian pyramids were built—and possibly find hidden rooms and corridors, for good measure. And now, a new international project aims to peer through the stone walls of these ancient structures, using cosmic rays. Actually, the ScanPyramids Project will use … Continued
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Tech NewsDrone Captures Incredible Footage of Ancient Nubian Pyramids
Another great thing you can do with drones—take stunning footage of ancient royal burial chambers. This National Geographic video offers an entirely new perspective on the Nubian pyramids that have stood the test of time in the Sudanese desert for over 3,000 years. [National Geographic]
By Maddie Stone -
io9
10 Bizarre Theories About The Pyramids That DON’T Involve Aliens
The ancient Egyptians built the pyramids to inspire awe, but could they have known that they would also inspire idiocy? For millennia, individuals have gazed upon these edifices, seeing them not as they are, but as projections of their own beliefs. Here are ten of the strangest theories—no aliens required. 1) The Pyramids Were Built … Continued
By Mark Strauss -
io9
Physicists Have A Simple Answer For How Egyptians Built The Pyramids
The Great Pyramid of Giza is the last of the ancient world’s “seven wonders.” The 4,500-year-old structure was constructed from 2.4 million limestone blocks, most weighing around 2.5 tons. Today we’re still debating how the Egyptians managed to move these blocks from local quarries. Now scientists have a new hypothesis. [Image: Library of Congress] They … Continued
By Mark Strauss -
Tech News
The Ingenious Way the Ancient Egyptians Should Have Built the Pyramids
Thousands of years ago, a minority of ancient Egyptians set a majority to work building some of the oldest human-made structures in the world. It seems like we’ve been debating about how they did it ever since: Water? Animal labor? Magic? A team of researchers thinks they’ve found the best explanation yet. In a paper … Continued
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Tech NewsDesign
A Pyramid in the Middle of Nowhere Built To Track the End of the World
A huge pyramid in the middle of nowhere tracking the end of the world on radar. An abstract geometric shape beneath the sky without a human being in sight. It could be the opening scene of an apocalyptic science fiction film, but it’s just the U.S. military going about its business, building vast and other-worldly … Continued
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Tech News
The 1931 Plan To Turn The Pyramids Into an Amusement Park
Do you ever look at the ancient pyramids in Egypt and think, “Why isn’t there a gigantic carnival ride on top of those?” Well, you wouldn’t be alone. Because somebody asked that very question in 1931. In a series of illustrations under the bold headline, “Mammoth Flying Swing to Give Bird’s Eye Pyramid View,” we … Continued
By Matt Novak -
io9
Extraordinary Carving Discovered Inside Ancient Maya Pyramid
Archaeologists are calling it a “once-in-a-lifetime find” — a 1,400 year-old frieze vividly decorated with images of gods and rulers. Considered a work of art, the carving is shedding new light into this ancient culture. The high-relief stucco sculpture was discovered last month by Guatemalan archeologist Francisco Estra-Bellie and his team from Tulane University’s anthropology … Continued
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io9
A 5,000 year-old pyramid has been completely levelled in Peru
A pair of construction crews have utterly flattened a 5,000 year-old pyramid near Lima, Peru. A similar incident happened in Belize this past May, prompting archaelogists to ask, WHY THE F*CK IS THIS BEING ALLOWED TO HAPPEN? Just to refresh your memories, a construction crew demolished a 2,300 year-old Maya pyramid several months ago in … Continued
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Tech News
A 2,300 Year Old Mayan Pyramid Was Destroyed for a New Road
In your horrific bulldozing news of the day, a construction company found it to be a good idea to destroy one of Belize’s largest Mayan pyramids just so they can use its materials for crushed rock in a road-building project. The 2,300 year old pyramid survived Mother Nature but fell to idiot man. Nice. The … Continued
By Casey Chan -
io9
Magnificent Modern Buildings that Look Like Ancient Pyramids
There’s a reason why ancient Egyptian pharaohs and Mesoamerican royalty wanted to be memorialized with gigantic pyramids. They look awesome. These ultra-modern buildings translate the pyramids’ classical grandeur into today’s soaring architecture. Muttart Conservatory, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada This botanical garden has four Peter Hemingway-designed pyramids around a central core. the two larger ones are covering … Continued
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ScienceSpaceBuy a Plot of the Moon From the Man Who Decided to Be Its Landlord
Meet Dennis M. Hope, 65, of Gardnerville, Nevada. Dennis owns the Moon. As The New York Times explains, Dennis claims to have filed a declaration of ownership with the United Nations. It’s all legal, guys! You see, the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 reads: No nation by appropriation shall have sovereignty or control over any … Continued
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io9
This massive flat-topped pyramid will be built in Abu Dhabi — guess what it’ll be made of
Once complete, it will occupy a space larger than the Great Pyramids of Giza and rise taller than St. Paul’s Cathedral. It’s called the Mastaba — a 150 meter (500 feet) tall flat-topped pyramidal structure that was just approved for construction by Abu Dhabi officials. Designed by acclaimed artist Christo, the colossal monument will cost … Continued
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io9
Researchers have built microscopic pyramids as cages for growing cells
This photograph may look like an artifact from an alien world (one with similar taste in architecture to the Egyptians), but it actual depicts a cell living in a pyramid-shaped cage, one that helps us view cells in something closer to their natural environment. One of the problems with studying cells in a petri dish … Continued
By Lauren Davis -
Tech News
Lost Egyptian Pyramids Appear on Google Earth
If only Howard Carter had access to satellite imagery, maybe he would have discovered more than just King Tut’s tomb. Fortunately, Google Earth means that anyone can examine the planet for lost treasures. Including Angela Micol, a satellite archaeology researcher who thinks she has uncovered previously undiscovered ancient pyramids, hiding in plain sight in Egypt. … Continued
By Leslie Horn -
io9
Have archaeologists discovered lost Egyptian pyramids using Google Earth?
Satellite archaeologist Angela Micol believes she may have stumbled upon two previously unidentified pyramid structures by using Google Earth. Located in Egypt, the sites contain distinct features and orientations that definitely suggest the potential presence of pyramids — a prospect that has local archaeologists eager to check it out. The Archaeology News Network reports: One … Continued
