Officials from the Utah Department of Public Security’s Aero Office flew a helicopter last Wednesday and helped the Wildlife Resources Department in southeastern Utah count the big-horned sheep when they spotted something that seemed appropriate from the 2001 book, Space Odyssey.
And there it was — a shiny silver metal monolith protruded from the ground in the middle of the red rock. Hutchings guessed he was “10 to 12 feet tall.” It didn’t look like it was accidentally dropped on the ground, he told KSL, it rather looked like it had been planted.
“Somehow we joked that if one of us suddenly disappears, the others will run for it,” Hutchings said.
Still, Hutchings said he thought it was probably placed there by an artist rather than a stranger.
“I’m assuming it’s some new wave artist, or something, or you know, someone who was a big fan (” 2001: The Space Odyssey “).”
The location of the monolith is not made public, and it is not yet clear who – or what – put the monolith there – was reported by the DPS.
From Monday, the Land Management Office will decide whether further investigation is needed.
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