I think my followers have noticed that I am interested in history. I even have several large historical articles on Wikipedia. However, this curiosity remains at the level of a hobby and, of course, there is always a lack of time for a hobby. Nevertheless, sometimes incredible discoveries happen in science that capture the attention of the general public. It is difficult to pass them.
I think you all know the famous Egyptian pyramids. Undoubtedly, they are an example of the achievements of an ancient civilisation, as well as an equally huge waste. It is so hard for us to believe that 4-5 thousand years ago people could build such impressive structures that we start to come up with various alternative theories. In particular, there is a widespread theory that the Egyptian pyramids were built by aliens from other planets. I must say that if this is true, they are good builders. It is interesting why they responded to the Egyptians' request and helped them with such a significant construction. And would they respond to my request and help me finish the renovation of my apartment?
When considering any theory, you need to be able to ask the right questions. For example, why did aliens come to build the pyramids? Maybe they had no work on their own planet? Why did they arrive at the time of ancient Egypt? What did they need the pyramids for? Was it a purely philanthropic project? There are many such questions, and with each one, the theory of aliens seems more and more absurd.
Recently, the world has been shaken by loud headlines: "Probably the world's oldest pyramid dating back to the Ice Age found in Indonesia", "Giant underground pyramid in Indonesia may be the world's oldest".
Wow! What a great discovery! I'm interested in the details. And then I find out that:
Scientists believe that Gunung Padang in Indonesia is not a natural hill but a pyramidal structure. The core of the pyramid is probably made of andesite or cooled lava. Layers of stone structures were added around it.
An Indonesian research team has used a number of techniques, including radiocarbon dating, drilling, and ground probes, to unlock the mysteries of this structure.
Radiocarbon analysis indicates that the oldest part of the structure was built during the last ice age, somewhere between 25,000 and 14,000 BC. This means that the pyramid could be as old as 27,000 years old.
The sensational scientific article was published in the moderated journal Archaeological Prospection. The world's media picked up the news and rushed to share the incredible information.
When I see such sensational news, especially in the world of science, that "turns our understanding of something upside down", I treat it with distrust. It happened this time too, so I started to take a deeper interest in the issue.
It turned out that not all scientists share the point of view of researchers from Indonesia. First, the sensational article was checked by the British writer Graham Hancock. But he did not add to the article's credibility, as he had already compromised himself several times by adhering to various pseudoscientific theories.
Flint Dibble, an archaeologist at Cardiff University in the UK, is of the opinion that the four stone layers supporting the Gunung Padang terraces may not have been formed through "sophisticated construction techniques" but rather as a result of natural stone movement or weathering.
Archaeologist Bill Farley from the University of Southern Connecticut draws attention to the fact that there is no evidence that Gunung Padang was inhabited by a developed civilisation during the Ice Age. It seems that 27,000 years ago there was only a pyramid (if it was a pyramid). No bones or other remains of any civilisation have been found in the soil.
The journal Archaeological Prospection and its publisher, Wiley, have launched an investigation into this article. Wiley's ethics team is currently reviewing the publication.
I think Indonesian scientists jumped to conclusions. At the same time, no one can refute them with 100% certainty. Therefore, this issue will remain controversial for a long time.
One thing remains clear: Gunun Padang is a prehistoric cultural heritage site in Indonesia. It is an amazing place that many tourists dream of visiting.
Sources: