A mysterious monolith discovered in a remote mountain range near Las Vegas has been removed by authorities, reigniting a pandemic-era mystery that has captivated the public's interest. The 6-foot-4 rectangular prism, found protruding from the rocks near Gass Peak in the Desert National Wildlife Refuge, was swiftly taken down due to its illegal installation on federal land managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The origin of the monolith remains shrouded in mystery, with Las Vegas police stating that it is unclear how the object arrived at its location or who may be responsible for its placement. The swift removal was prompted by concerns over public safety and the preservation of the wildlife refuge, which is home to bighorn sheep and desert tortoises.
This enigmatic structure is the latest in a series of similar monoliths that have appeared worldwide since 2020. The trend began with the discovery of a metal monolith in Utah's red-rock desert, followed by sightings in Romania, central California, and downtown Las Vegas. Each of these monoliths vanished as quickly as they appeared, adding to the intrigue surrounding their existence.
The Las Vegas monolith, reminiscent of the iconic object from Stanley Kubrick's film '2001: A Space Odyssey,' was constructed from a reflective sheet of metal molded around a prism and secured with rebar and concrete. Following its removal, the massive object is being stored at an undisclosed location while authorities determine the best course of action for disposal or storage.
The Desert National Wildlife Refuge, established to protect bighorn sheep and rare plant species, is the largest wildlife refuge outside of Alaska, covering an area equivalent to twice the size of Rhode Island. Christa Weise, the refuge's acting manager, confirmed the removal of the monolith but declined to provide further details on the matter.
