We’ve all heard the theory that aliens built the pyramids of Egypt. Popular arguments range from, “There’s no way humans could build things that big,” to, “Even with modern technology we can’t make things that precise.” So clearly aliens did it. As a historian I scoff at that. You don’t have to agree with me. But, personally, I scoff. I don’t think aliens had anything to do with the pyramids of Egypt.
But US Egyptologist Dr. Sarah Parcak has taken a different spin, using what might have been considered alien technology by the Ancient Egyptians to find those pyramids. Using infra-red satellite technology Parcak and her team were able to locate 1000 tombs and 3000 ancient settlements buried under the African sands. This includes 17 previously undiscovered pyramids. According to Parcak, “…only 1/100th of one percent of archaeological sites in Egypt have been discovered. Our entire understanding of Egyptian history is based on these few discoveries. What we have discovered so far is just the tip of the iceberg.”
Parcak and her team’s ground breaking work using satellite imagery as an archaeological tool is fascinating, combining two of my passions, history and technology. Aliens may not have built the pyramids, but gosh darn it, they will be able to find them. For the full story check out the BBC.
