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Mysterious, metallic 'monolith' found in remote area of Utah

Mysterious, metallic 'monolith' found in remote area of Utah
Posted at 10:24 AM, Nov 24, 2020
and last updated 2020-11-24 16:27:16-05

Not since a monolith was found on the surface of the moon in Stanley Kubrick's classic "2001: A Space Odyssey" has a mystery object confounded the greatest minds of our generation.

Or maybe not.

According to the Utah Department of Public Safety, a curious metallic-looking object was found in the southeastern part of the state while conducting a count of bighorn sheep by helicopter.

Utah Highway Patrol posted photos and videos of the object on Friday that showed a 10-foot tall metallic object with four sides. The surface is shiny but does not appear to be reflective.

According to the post, the item was found in the "middle of nowhere."

Officials won't announce the exact location of the object as "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."

It's not known who installed the metal monolith. It is illegal to install structures of art without permission on federally-managed public lands.

The Bureau of Land Management will decide if further investigation of the monolith is needed.

This story was originally published by Joyce Lupiani on KTNV in Las Vegas and Jeff Tavss on KSTU in Salt Lake City.