MONOLITH REMOVED FROM MOUNTAINS IN LAS VEGAS BUT ORIGIN STILL A MYSTERY

Las Vegas authorities have taken down a mysterious monolith found in a remote mountain range near the city amid unresolved questions about its origin.

The 6-foot-4 prism, discovered near Gass Peak in the Desert National Wildlife Refuge, was removed due to public safety and environmental concerns, reported AP.

The Las Vegas police announced in a series of posts on X that it "remains unknown how the item got to its location or who might be responsible.”

Situated near Gass Peak, a popular hiking destination, the tall, rectangular, and reflective object was found nestled in the rugged desert landscape. The police department posed the question on social media platform X, "HOW did it get up there??"

The monolith's removal on Thursday echoes a similar mystery from the pandemic era, where shiny monoliths appeared globally in places like Utah, Romania, California, and New Mexico.

Similarly, in November 2020, a metal monolith was discovered in Utah's red-rock desert. That monolith, believed to be the first in this series, was embedded deep in a remote area. Lt. Nick Street of Utah’s Department of Public Safety had remarked at the time, "This thing is not from another world.”

Authorities had initially withheld Utah’s monolith location to prevent people from getting lost trying to find it. However, internet sleuths quickly identified the coordinates, leading to an influx of tourists whose activities caused environmental damage.

The recent monolith in Las Vegas raised similar concerns. It was placed illegally on federal land that was established to protect wildlife and rare plants. The Desert National Wildlife Refuge, managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, is the largest wildlife refuge outside of Alaska. The refuge’s acting manager, Christa Weise, said Friday that the monolith had been removed but did not comment on whether a criminal investigation was underway.

The Las Vegas police department noted that the object is being stored at a secret location while officials decide how to dispose of or store it. The metal structure, molded into a prism and secured with rebar and concrete, left a large indent in the ground upon removal.

Authorities discourage people from leaving objects behind, as it poses dangers to both individuals and the environment. "This poses a danger to you and the environment,” the Las Vegas police stated.