The Mysterious Ringing Rocks

This is rock music. Literally.

These chime-like sounds come from geological phenomena known as ringing rocks. Physically, they look no different from regular rocks, but it's not until you lightly strike them with a hammer that the rocks reveal their sonic secret.

Also known as sonorous rocks, these audio boulders can be found in various locations inside the 128-acre Ringing Rocks Park in Southeastern Pennsylvania, including Stony Garden in Bucks County, Devil's Race Course in Franklin, and Pottstown in Montgomery.

The most famous among visitors is located in Upper Black Eddy near the Delaware River. Framed by a lush forest and a majestic waterfall, the site features a vast eight-acre field of ringing rocks, with some stacked as high as 10-feet. 

It was here that Dr. J. J. Ott performed for the Buckwampum Historical Society in June 1890, for what is probably the first rock concert in history.

According to Natural History Magazine, Ott "played several musical selections" while accompanied by a brass band. The performance highlighted the natural musicality of the rocks which he assembled into an octave scale.

Since Ott's performance, the site has attracted other musicians looking to compose one-of-a-kind soundscapes using the ringing rocks. Like instrumental percussionist group, Square Peg Round Hole, who recorded an original song using rocks they selected for their similar tonal qualities as their instruments.

Recordists like Philadelphia-based Thomas Rex Beverly also visit the park to take audio recordings of the rocks. He observed that changes in the environment also changed the sound of the rocks. Which means what the rocks sound in summer, isn't the same as they do in winter when layers of snow surround the rocks. The amount of snow also creates significant changes in the pitch of the rocks.

But a more interesting discovery is that, while only 30% of the rocks ring, they generally ring in the tone of B flat. Now, why is that more interesting than finding out the sound produced by the rocks are ultimately site specific, existing in synergy with its surroundings, wherein any incremental change can dramatically affect its acoustics, you might ask? Because B flat is what a supermassive black hole sounds like.

Back in 2003, NASA's Chandra X-Ray Observatory detected sound waves are coming from a black hole 250 million light years away from Earth. It turns out, it's been humming a B flat that's 57 octaves below middle C for close to 2.5 billion years.

It's out of this world tidbits like this, so to speak, that fuel the wild urban legends surrounding the origins and mechanisms of the ringing rocks. So in 1965 geologist Richard Faas performed numerous lab tests on the rocks to find out if there's a connection between the physical make up of the rocks and their ability to create sound.

What Faas found was an explanation to one of the most widely claimed myths about the ringing rocks. Unlike the stories, the rocks don't lose their ability to make sounds when taken out of the boulder field. They still produce a series of low-frequency sounds, which remain inaudible to the human ears until it's layered with similar low-frequency sounds coming from other ringing rocks. 

But while he was able to debunk one myth, Faas still wasn't able to identify the specific physical evidence that would explain why the rocks ring. So instead of getting answers, all he raised are more questions.

Like, if the rocks were all made from diabase, a volcanic basalt that's high in iron and aluminium content, then why do only a few of the rocks ring? Why aren't the rocks in nearby areas of the field ring as well? And since diabase is the same substance as that of the Earth's crust, does this mean that the Earth is one giant bell?

And how did the boulders even get there in the first place? One theory suggests that when the supercontinent Pangaea shifted some 300 years ago, it caused mountains to erode and the sediments to settle in nearby valleys.

Magma worked its way up to the surface, depositing large amounts of diabase into the soil in the process. Scientists believe that the boulders were created from what they call the freeze-thaw cycle.

Where the water that's permeated the hardened mixture of magma and sediments goes into a loop of freezing and melting, which eventually split the giant rock formation into individual boulders.

This would make for a very satisfying explanation into the mystery of the ringing rocks, if only (1) there were volcanoes in Pennsylvania, and (2) well if it actually cracked its mystery.

But because even extensive scientific studies couldn't provide a definitive explanation on why the rocks ring, speculations of the more peculiar variety abound.

Some think the ringing rocks are surrounded by a bizarre magnetic field, rendering compasses unusable. It's also rumoured to be an ancient ceremonial site used by Native Americans, who used the rocks for their rituals.

Others believe the boulders are pieces of a meteorite that crashed on Earth, and the radiation is why there's no vegetation nor animals that settle in the boulder field.

Of course, we can't talk about the inexplicable without chocking it up to aliens.

Take Stonehenge. The ancient monument has never been a stranger to green space men and conspiracy theorists, even more so now that ringing rocks were discovered on the site.

Researchers from the Royal College of Art under their Landscape & Perception Project (L&P) project discovered that the bluestones (or the inner circle of Stonehenge) share the same musical ability as that of the boulders in Ringing Rocks.

Evidence showed that almost all of the rocks have scuff marks on places where it might have been struck. Proving, that the rocks were specifically chosen for their ability to make ringing sounds.

And by some strange coincidence, it just so happened that the stones were sourced from Preseli Hills, where a village named Maenclochog ̶ which translates to bell or ringing stones ̶ is located. Records show that the townspeople used bluestones as church bells until the 1800s.

To add to the mystery, recent archaeological findings reveal that Stonehenge is part of a complex network of 17 other previously unknown ancient structures including nearby Durrington Walls and Avebury.

Using sophisticated equipment like a ground-penetrating radar and a 3D laser scanner, the pioneering digital mapping project covered an area of 12-square kilometres or the size of 1,250 football fields.

What they discovered was a labyrinth of burial grounds, ritual sites, processional routes, and pre-historic trenches all seemingly converging towards the direction of Stonehenge as its centre.

Following various cultural studies, what links Stonehenge's bluestones and the boulder field in Pennsylvania is that the ringing rocks they're made of are considered sacred across different ancient civilizations. They were thought to contain powerful spirits and may have been used in religious ceremonial practices as a way to speak with the gods.

But no matter how similar the role of ringing rocks around the world are, in the context of history and culture, there's still not one physical characteristic that exists among all of them that could explain why they ring.

And so the mystery continues. Who knows, maybe it really is aliens, and the worlds one rocking intergalactic mixtape?

---

Sources:

New Music Video: Square Peg Round Hole at Ringing Rocks, http://www.phillymag.com/ticket/2016/01/20/new-music-video-square-peg-round-hole-at-ringing-rocks/

Watch This Band Create Music on 'Ringing' Boulders, http://mentalfloss.com/article/74267/watch-band-create-music-ringing-boulders

Great Natural Areas in Eastern Pennsylvania, https://books.google.com.ph/books?id=-AGm3Ny_NsgC&lpg=PA123&ots=07EIMk7EUW&dq=Buckwampum%20historical%20society&pg=PA124#v=onepage&q=Buckwampum%20historical%20society&f=false

Outbound Journeys in Pennsylvania: A Guide to Natural Places for Individual and Group Outings, https://books.google.com.ph/books?id=yN_G7nSkyFYC&lpg=PA47&ots=IlrR90HLzh&dq=Buckwampum%20historical%20society&pg=PA47#v=onepage&q=Buckwampum%20historical%20society&f=false

Ringing Rocks for wind ensemble and electronics by Thomas Rex Beverly Sound Libraries, https://soundcloud.com/trexbeverly/ringing-rocks-for-wind-ensemble-and-electronics

Have You Heard About B Flat? http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7442915

Travel Suggestions: 'Gates Of Hell' And Ringing Rocks Park, http://www.npr.org/2015/08/31/436229354/travel-suggestions-gates-of-hell-and-ringing-rocks-park

The 10 Best Adventures from the New Atlas Obscura Book, https://www.outsideonline.com/2117141/10-best-adventures-new-atlas-obscura-book

There’s No Other Park In America Quite Like This One In Pennsylvania, http://www.onlyinyourstate.com/pennsylvania/ringing-rocks-park-pa/

Strange & Unexplained - Ringing Rocks, http://www.skygaze.com/content/strange/RingingRocks.shtml

The Sonorous Stones of Ringing Rocks Park, http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/sonorous-stones-ringing-rocks-park

VIDEO: Rock music, http://scienceline.org/2017/06/video-rock-music-2/

Ringing Rocks, http://www.davidhanauer.com/buckscounty/ringingrocks/

Weird Geology: Ringing Rocks, http://www.unmuseum.org/ringrock.htm

The Ringing Rocks of Pennsylvania – A Famous Geological Oddity, http://www.odditycentral.com/travel/the-ringing-rocks-of-pennsylvania-a-famous-geological-oddity.html

Ringing Rocks Park really rocks, http://www.nj.com/times-sports/index.ssf/2012/07/ringing_rocks_park_really_rock.html

RECORDING THE STRANGE SOUNDS OF RINGING ROCKS:, https://www.asoundeffect.com/ringing-rocks-sounds/

If Rocks Could Sing: The
Ringing Rocks of Bucks Co., http://pabook2.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/Ringing.html

These rocks can sing, http://articles.latimes.com/2011/apr/02/nation/la-na-ringing-rocks-20110403

Ontario Archaeological Society Arch Notes, http://www.ontarioarchaeology.on.ca/Resources/ArchNotes/anns4-5.pdf

We may have cracked the mystery of Stonehenge, http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20170713-why-stonehenge-was-built

Stonehenge secrets revealed by underground map, http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-29126854

Are Stonehenge's Boulders Actually Big Bells?, https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/03/are-stonehenges-boulders-actually-big-bells/284239/

RCA Research Team Uncovers Stonehenge's Sonic Secrets, https://www.rca.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/sonic-stones/

The Secret Behind Stonehenge Mystery: Ringing Rocks, https://www.forbes.com/sites/paulrodgers/2014/03/12/the-secret-behind-stonehenge-mystery-ringing-rocks/#8709f958c6c6

Stonehenge bluestones had acoustic properties, study shows, http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-wiltshire-26417976

Mysterious Ancient Manuscripts with Hidden Secrets

Ancient Origins

Over the years, many mysterious ancient manuscripts have been uncovered, and researchers who have examined these documents have found hidden secrets from the past. Most of these secret texts are concealed in other archaeological records, and the traces of these manuscripts are usually invisible to the naked eye. The utilization of modern technology like X-rays, CT scans and multispectral imaging are often necessary for bringing the secrets of these mysterious and long-lost works to light.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AFTER VIDEO

Hidden Text of Euripides

Mysterious Facts

Number 1 – The Hidden Text of Euripides. A group of researchers from the Universities of Bologna and Gottingen discovered a hidden text of a fifth-century-BC Greek drama beneath a 13th-centuary-AD prophetic book of the Old Testament. This early work is attributed to one of Athens’s foremost dramatists, Euripides, whose work became the cornerstone of education in the Hellenistic age and has significantly influenced modern drama. This hidden text was uncovered through multispectral imaging in 2013, and not only does the document contain Euripides’s work, but it is also full of ancient annotations.

Treatise of the Vessels

Altered Dimensions Paranormal

Number 2 – Treatise of the Vessels. Archaeologists and fortune hunters have been hard at work to find the alleged hidden treasures stashed away by Israel’s third king, Solomon, and among them is the legendary Ark of the Covenant. At present, a newly-translated ancient Hebrew text known as the Treatise of the Vessels seems to have new information about the location of the elusive Ark, along with the rest of King Solomon’s treasures. According to a translation by James Davila, a professor at the University of St. Andrews, the treasures were hidden by some Levites and prophets, and that they are stocked away in various locations in the Land of Israel and Babylonia, while others were delivered into the hands of the angels.

Codex Selden

Breaking Science News

Number 3 – Codex Selden. For decades, researchers were certain that hidden messages can be found beneath the surface of Codex Selden, which was previously lost for almost 500 years. It was only in 2016, that hyperspectral imaging finally allowed researchers to take a closer look at the surface of the precolonial Mexican manuscript, revealing hidden texts and images beneath. So far, the researchers have yet to complete scanning all the pages, and the text has not been translated, but researchers are convinced that more discoveries are to be made once the hidden messages of the Codex Selden are interpreted.

Novgorod Codex

Listverse

Number 4 – Novgorod Codex. In 2000, archaeologists excavating Novgorod in Russia discovered the Novgorod Codex, the earliest known book made by the Rus’ people. This hyper-palimpsest, dated to the 11th century, preserved two Psalms. However, when the wax was removed for conservation, the restorers found retained traces of an earlier text, including several previously unknown Slavonic compositions of native origin. It is believed that the Novgorod Codex may contain several dozens of hidden text layers.

Codex Zacynthius

University of Cambridge

Number 5 – Codex Zacynthius. In the 13th century, the Codex Zacynthius were an Evangeliarium, an old manuscript that contained a collection of Gospel passages. However, in 1861, researchers detected that there is actually a hidden text in the Codex Zacynthius. The text is a sixth or seventh-century script which turned out to contain an account of the Gospel of Luke. This Codex has 176 vellum leaves, and experts believe that there are a lot more secrets to be discovered in the ancient document, and they plan to analyze the hidden text through multispectral analysis.

The Lost Gospel

Annoyz View - WordPress.com

Number 6 – The “Lost Gospel.” Many theologians have long speculated about Jesus’ alleged romantic relationship with Mary Magdalene. However, if the translation of the so-called “Lost Gospel” – a 1500-year-old ancient manuscript found at the British Library – is any indication, then what we believe to know about the life of Jesus Christ at present is not completely true. Translated from Aramaic, the text reveals that Jesus had indeed married Mary Magdalene and even had children with her. This makes the Christian messiah a husband and a father to a family of his own if the “Lost Gospel” is proven true.

Voynich Manuscript

Ancient Origins

Number 7 – The Voynich Manuscript. This ancient medieval manuscript was named after Wilfrid M. Voynich, a Polish-American book dealer who discovered the text in a chest in the Jesuit College at the Villa Mondragone in Frascati in 1912. The cryptic document is written on medieval parchment using an unknown script system showing basic statistical patterns which resemble a real language. However, there are also those that believe that the manuscript was a forgery intended as a hoax. Until now, the nature and origin of the manuscript have remained a mystery and have led to a lot of controversy and debate.

Sibiu Manuscript

Twitter

Number 8 – The Sibiu Manuscript. In 1961, Doru Todericiu, a professor of Science and Technology at the University of Bucharest, found an ancient document, now known as the Sibiu Manuscript. The 450-page manuscript dates back to 1570, with its history even going further back by several centuries. The old text contains technical data about multi-stage rockets, artillery, and ballistics. It also reported about a “javelin” which flew with considerable effective range, and the launching of a multi-tiered rocket in the city of Sibiu, where thousands of people supposedly witnessed the event in 1555 and turned out to be a complete success.

Black Book of Carmarthen

Abide In Me Blog

Number 9 – Black Book of Carmarthen. The Black Book of Carmarthen was written by a single monk around 1250, and it is the oldest surviving manuscript which is written solely in Welsh. In 2015, Raul Russell and Myriah Williams of the University of Cambridge reported that hidden contents had been found in the book which had been invisible under normal viewing conditions. Using a variety of imaging techniques like ultraviolet lamps and photo-editing software, some of the unknown material was detected, including extensive marginal annotations such as inscriptions, poems, and even drawings.

Codex Washingtonianus

Watchman on the Web

Number 10 – Codex Washingtonianus. Housed at the Smithsonian’s Freer Gallery of Art, the Codex Washingtonianus is the world’s third oldest Bible. The priceless ancient book is made up of almost 200 parchment pages and is believed to be more than 1,500 years old. The Codex Washingtonianus has been the subject of controversy because of the unique insertion in the ending of the biblical gospel of Mark. Referred to as the “Freer Logion,” a part of the passage makes mention of the end of Satan’s power, seemingly addressing the question of whether God or Satan was the one in charge of mankind’s fate. The text is not found in any other manuscript, and when it was published in 1912, the passage caused much consternation as it raised another challenge to the Bible people knew.

The ancient documents we have mentioned, even without their unlocked secrets, are important archaeological artifacts that serve as an enduring testament to mankind’s complex and impressive history. And as more mysterious ancient manuscripts continue to get discovered, the potential secrets they hide could now be much easier to uncover - thanks to modern technology – allowing us to learn more about our past and possibly gain a better understanding of who we are through the works of our ancestors.

---

Sources:

• http://www.messagetoeagle.com/10-mysterious-ancient-manuscripts-hidden-secrets/
• http://listverse.com/2017/01/08/10-mysterious-hidden-texts/
• http://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/ancient-philosophical-writings-found-hidden-beneath-medieval-text-001024
• http://www.history.com/news/fate-of-the-lost-ark-revealed
• http://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/does-newly-translated-hebrew-text-reveal-insights-king-solomon-s-treasures
• http://www.businessinsider.com/new-technology-confirms-a-hidden-text-in-a-mixtec-book-2016-8?r=UK&IR=T
• http://www.csad.ox.ac.uk/csad/Newsletters/Newsletter10/Newsletter10d.html
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Book_of_Carmarthen
• http://www.ancientpages.com/2015/08/04/codex-washingtonianus-contains-passage-not-seen-biblical-manuscript/

3 ‘Modern’ Inventions That Existed Millions of Years Ago: Nuclear Reactor, Telescope, Clothes

Some mainstream scientists may have people believe that humans evolved from lower life forms over the last 10,000 years or so, however, archaeologists have already discovered many artifacts of various ancient human civilizations that are millions of years old according to scientific carbon isotope dating. And guess what, these artifacts provide evidence that these ancient humans were even more advanced than we are today. 

1. Nuclear Reactor 1.8 BILLION Years Old

The Oklo, Gabon Republic, nuclear reactor site. (NASA)

In 1972 at a uranium mine in the Gabon Republic of Africa, an open-air large-scale nuclear reactor with a highly sophisticated layout was discovered and calculated to have been built 1.8 BILLION years go and active for 500,000 years. A French manufacturer importing uranium ore from here found it had strangely already been used, so they send scientists to examine the site. They concluded the uranium here was more than twice as powerful as normal uranium and practically impossible to have naturally occurred. 

"The reaction sites consists of several compact bodies of uranium ore with a very high uranium concentration. Altogether, over 500 tons of uranium took part in the reactions (perhaps even more, for fresh ore bodies have just been discovered). The energy released must have amounted to almost 1011 kWh. At some points the integrated neutron flux exceeded 1.5 X 1021 n/cm2 , and samples with a 235U concentration of as little as 0.29% (as compared with 0.72% in natural uranium of normal isotopic composition) have been found. For such values to be attained, there must have been extremely effective mechanisms for controlling the nuclear reactions, mechanisms which have not yet been fully elucidated. Even more remarkable is the state of preservation of these "fossilized nuclear reactors"; in fact the uranium has retained its configuration from the time of the reactions so faithfully that the reaction rate distributions through the ground can be interpreted in terms of neutron physics. This implies a quite exceptional conjunction of circumstances, and it is expected to be possible to reconstruct the progress of the phenomenon in some detail. Thanks to the innumerable "traceurs" resulting from the nuclear reactions, it is possible to study a whole episode in geological history extending from the deposition of these very heavy concentrations of uranium about 1,800 million years ago to quite recent modifications."  -- The Oklo Phenomenon by Roger Naudet, 1975 International International Atomic Energy Agency Symposium

Dr. Glenn T. Seaborg was head of the United States Atomic Energy Commission and Nobel Prize winner for synthesizing heavy elements who believes this highly concentrated uranium site was not a natural phenomenon but in fact a man-made nuclear reactor. This reactor is more advanced than anything we can build today, being miles long yet remarkably only heating it's surroundings within 130 feet while containing all radioactive waste in the nearby earth. Reactor engineering specialists believe this Oklo site's uranium could not contain such high concentrations of U-235 for nuclear reactions to naturally occur. Plus, extremely pure water is required for uranium to "burn" in a reaction, which does not exist naturally anywhere in the world. 

2. Stone Engraving of Telescope & Modern Clothing 65 MILLION Years Old

a 65 million year old stone engraving of a person holding a telescope, an invention believed to be created in 1609 by Galileo. (Courtesy of Eugenia Cabrera/Museo Cabrera)

In the National University of Peru, there is a 65 MILLION year old engraving on a rock with a person wearing modern clothes and observing the stars with a telescope. It's was previously believed that the European astronomer, Galileo Galilei invented the telescope in 1609 but this finding proves otherwise.

Ica stone showing ancient person riding triceratops dinosaur. Credit: Dennis Swift

There are 10,000 other stones in the Cabrera Museum in Ica, Peru showing more ancient humans with clothes, shoes, and headdresses. There are also medical scenes of blood transfusions, organ transplants, and cesarean sections — even riding dinosaurs!

Dr. Dennis Swift, author of "Secrets of the Ica Stones and Nazca Lines" and archaeologist from the University of New Mexico, recorded evidence that these stones are from Pre-Columbian times. He has been around the world and collected similar artifacts depicting the lives of ancient peoples proving than mankind is much older than many know.

3. Well Dressed Humans in 14,000 Year Old Cave Paintings

Cave painting from the cave of Altamira in the Anthropos Pavilion of The Moravian Museum in the Czech Republic. (Wikimedia Commons)

In 1937 Léon Péricard found 14,000 year old paintings in the La Marche caves of western France of people with tailored clothing, groomed beards, short hair, and riding horses. This proves that ancient humans were much more sophisticated than the infamous "caveman" concept with ragged animal skins and messy long hair. 

In 2002, Dr. Michael Rappenglueck reevaluated Péricard’s findings and believes they are genuine and noted that many floor paintings and etchings, which may contain even more valuable relics, were damaged during the earlier excavations.

Rappenglueck also believes that this, and other such discoveries, are ignored or even kept hidden by modern science. For example, some pieces from La Marche cave are displayed in Paris' Museum of Man except for the best ones that show the sophisticated culture of these ancient people. 

“For some years it has been left to broader media coverage (in the form of printed matter, audio-visual material, electronic media and planetarium programs) to raise awareness of proto-astronomy (as well as proto-mathematics and other proto-sciences) during Palaeolithic times.” 

Thankfully, now we can share information so easily and quickly. In this information age, stubborn incorrect notions are being rectified by the newly revealed truths. 

---

Sources

• http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/345446-3-modern-inventions-that-existed-millions-of-years-ago-nuclear-reactor-telescope-clothes/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Marche_(cave)
• www.DinosaursAndMan.com

Hundreds Of Giant Mysterious Tunnels Discovered In Brazil

Brazil – a tropical paradise and home to some of the best athletes in the world.

It is the largest country in both South America and Latin America and boasts a beautiful culture and stunning scenery. In Brazil, you can find the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue and the awe-inspiring Corcovado and Sugarloaf Mountains. Travelers and explorers will find a wonderful slate of fauna such as the giant anteater, several varieties of sloths, armadillos, otters, and even capybara in the country.

However, Brazil has more than meets the eye. In fact, the country has its fair share of mysteries.

In 2010, geologist Amilcar Adamy from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, found a giant hole a few miles north of the Bolivian border. Upon investigation, he realized that the hole could not have been naturally made. None of the caves Adamy explored looked like anything the tunnels featured, with their round passages and smooth floors.

The mysterious tunnels have since then been discovered by various experts around the country and have opened up an entirely new realm of possibilities for geological studies.   

The Tunnels

source: Disclose.tv

Geologist Heinrich Theodor Frank stumbled across the tunnels while driving on the national Novo Hamburgo Highway. While driving, a hole of around one meter in diameter caught his attention. The hole was located at a construction site, and after further investigation, Frank discovered that the hole led to a complex underground tunnel. The tunnel was about 70 centimeters high and a few meters in length, with what appeared to be strange scratches on the ceiling of its walls. 

After further exploration, Frank realized that hundreds of similar tunnels existed all over Brazil. The state of Rondonia alone has a large complex of 600 meter-long tunnels. Not only that, 2,000 burrows with similar characteristics have also been found. 

Not even the locals in the area knew about the origins of the tunnels. Further tests showed that the tunnels were not man-made in origin. 

The Mysteries

Urban legends point towards various "historical" and even supposed "mythological" origins of the mysterious tunnels. Some say the tunnels were created by Indians, Jesuits, slaves, or even revolutionaries. Others believe the tunnels are a giant anthill or were even made by bears. Very rare few point towards a great mythological serpent that may have used the tunnel as its home.

Regardless, geological evidence alone proves that the tunnels were not created by Brazilian natives. The Indians who lived in Brazil even before the Europeans arrived did not use iron, and therefore had no means of digging through the hard rocks around the tunnels. 

According to Frank, there is no natural geological process known to man that can produce the features of the tunnels. These features include the circular or elliptical cross-sections that branch, rise, and fall around the area.

The geographic distribution of the tunnels is another mystery to scientists. The tunnels were only found in the southern parts of Brazil - particularly in the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina. They don't exist anywhere else. 

source:Earth Touch News Network

The claw marks on the walls of the tunnels are also peculiar.

Prehistoric animals such as giant armadillos or possibly mega-sloths are thought by many to be possible creators of such marks.

The biggest burrows, with sizes of up to five feet in diameter, may have been dug by ground sloths that have adapted to the area’s environment and developed digging skills.

Giant armadillos, though shorter than sloths, may also have the skills necessary to dig these tunnels as well. The grooves along the ceiling may, in fact, be marks the animals have left whenever they pause or stop working. 

Unfortunately, there are no specific indications of these animals living in the country. Moreover, the sheer size of the tunnels cannot possibly be made by any “giant” armadillos or sloths – at least, ones that we know of.

The giant armadillo, the largest existing member of its family, weighs between 65 and 90 pounds and is native to South America. However, its burrows are about 16 inches in diameter, and only up to 20 feet long. If the tunnels’ five foot wide and 250-feet long burrows are in fact dug my animals, then it should be one extremely big creature – one that has not been discovered yet. 

However, it seems there is still another possibility.

Historical Evidence

source: Ancient Origins

Frank eventually sent photographs of the tunnels to Marcelo Rasteiro of the Brazilian Society of Speleology. He introduced the notion of "paleoburrows" excavated by living organisms in any geological age.

Examples of these organisms include worms in the Cambrian Era, mollusks in the Mesozoic Era, or rats in the Pleistocene. These are all organisms that have lived millions of years ago.

Until the early 2000s, hardly any burrows attributed to extinct animals can be found in scientific literature. In fact, it was only in 2015 that Adamy himself had the opportunity to extensively explore the mysterious tunnels. 

If this paleoburrow theory is to be believed, then the tunnels in Brazil may have been created between 10,000 and 8,000 years ago. If this is the case, then the Rondonia tunnels Frank have discovered may be the first - and the largest - paleoburrow in the Amazon.

These tunnels can actually be found all over the world, which adds even more depth to the mystery. Frank said similar caves could be found in countries such as Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile, Bolivia, and Argentina. 

Until scientists can figure out who, what, or how these paleburrows were made, they will remain an unfathomable enigma.

---

Sources:

http://www.ancient-code.com/experts-baffled-discovery-hundreds-mysterious-tunnels-brazil/
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/crux/2017/03/28/paleoburrows-south-america/#.WPiI9tKGOUk
http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/extinct-megafauna-dug-these-incredible-tunnels-in-brazil/
http://www.ufrgs.br/paleotocas/Producao.htm

Long Lost 'CITY OF GIANTS' Unearthed in Ethiopia

In a recent dig in Ethiopia, Archaeologists have supposedly unearthed a “long-lost city once inhabited by giants.”

This city, located in Harlaa, Ethiopia, was unearthed by a team led by Timothy Insoll from the Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies at the University of Exeter.

Few people have conducted archaeological research in the region in the past, but most of their digs focused on finding ancient human remains. This time, scientists focused on finding ancient settlements that could possibly hint at the existence of giants in the city.

According to locals in the area, there were numerous stories and legends of giants inhabiting the region in the past. The possible supporting evidence of such stories belongs in some of the buildings in the region. The buildings are made of stones are that so massive in size that only giants or people with supernormal strength could possibly have lifted them. Locals also mentioned that they found old coins and pottery on a regular basis, all of which hinted at an ancient settlement that once existed in the area.

Although archaeologists have found no other evidence of giants in the region, they HAVE discovered that Ethiopia was much more connected with the rest of the world than previously thought. Evidence of islamic burials, headstones, and even a 12th century mosque were found in the area. Not only that, there were also coins, fragments of glass vessel, rock crystal, glass pottery and other artifacts from places like Madagascar, the Maldives, Yemen, China, and Egypt. This means that Harlaa was probably a rich trading hub that had close relations to many other countries between the 10th and 15th centuries.

Insoll said: "What we have found shows this area was the center of trade in that region. The city was a rich, cosmopolitan center for jeweler making and pieces were then taken to be sold around the region and beyond. Residents of Harlaa were a mixed community of foreigners and local people who traded with others in the Red Sea, Indian Ocean and possibly as far away as the Arabian Gulf.”

Further investigation is still being conducted in the city to find out more about its people and origins. Around 300 people from the city’s cemetery are currently being analyzed to understand more about the people who lived in Harlaa earlier in history. Did giants really exist in the city? There hasn’t been any solid evidence found yet. But if you look at all the evidence of giants from around the world, there shouldn’t be much doubt that these huge creatures must’ve existed some time in ancient history.