We, for one, welcome our new metal monolith overlord in Utah
2020 was the year many of us said "beam me up" with a bit too much enthusiasm.
Well, it turns out our wishes might have come true, because an inexplicable metal monolith has been found in the Utah desert by a helicopter crew. I, for one, would like to welcome our new metal monolith overlord to Earth.
Now, I should caveat that Mashable's editorial line on freaky stuff like this is: It's not aliens. It's never aliens. Stop saying it's aliens. I know, it sucks and I'm sorry. But did I hit play on Babylon Zoo's iconic hit "Spaceman" the moment I heard about the monolith? You bet your alien-loving ass I did.
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Here's what we know so far about the unexplained metal object (UMO?). Wildlife officials found the monolith last week while counting sheep – yep, you read that correctly – in a remote area of southeastern Utah. Bighorn sheep, to be precise.
The officials who work for the Utah Department of Public Safety and Utah Division of Wildlife Resources were in a helicopter when they spotted an "unusual object" and landed to inspect it further. "The crew members found a metal monolith installed in the ground in a remote area of red rock," read a statement by the Utah Department of Public Safety. "The crew said there was no obvious indication of who might have put the monolith there."
Is it some kind of artistic sculpture, you might be wondering? Allow me to refer to the statement once more: "It is illegal to install structures or art without authorization on federally managed public lands, no matter what planet you’re from."
You heard that, folks. That rule applies "no matter what planet you're from."
Now, if you're thinking about trying to find the monolith to, idk, take Instagram photos or something: please don't. The Utah Department of Public Safety is not disclosing the location of the installation because it's 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."
Anyway, whatever this is, I love it. Thanks for coming!
Rachel Thompson is the Features Editor at Mashable. Rachel's second non-fiction book The Love Fix: Reclaiming Intimacy in a Disconnected World is out now, published by Penguin Random House in Jan. 2025. The Love Fix explores why dating feels so hard right now, why we experience difficult emotions in the realm of love, and how we can change our dating culture for the better.
A leading sex and dating writer in the UK, Rachel has written for GQ, The Guardian, The Sunday Times Style, The Telegraph, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Stylist, ELLE, The i Paper, Refinery29, and many more.
Rachel's first book Rough: How Violence Has Found Its Way Into the Bedroom And What We Can Do About It, a non-fiction investigation into sexual violence was published by Penguin Random House in 2021.
