There’s Another New Monolith, This Time in California

Another day, another monolith

Atascadero, California
Forget wine country: this is monolith country
Getty Images

So here’s where we stand on Monolith Watch: It all started in the Utah desert a week ago when a mysterious metal monolith appeared and then subsequently disappeared. Then on Monday, another one cropped up nearly 6,000 miles away in Romania. Today we bring you news of a third monolith, this time in Atascadero, California.

The silver column was found atop Pine Mountain in Atascadero, and according to the local newspaper, “The three-sided obelisk appeared to be made of stainless steel, 10-feet tall and 18 inches wide. The object was welded together at each corner, with rivets attaching the side panels to a likely steel frame inside.”

The newspaper also reported that the California monolith was “a little wobbly” (unlike the Utah original, which was firmly planted in the ground) and noted that it might be possible to push it over.

There’s no word on where these monoliths are coming from, but it seems more and more likely they’re some sort of manmade art installation or viral marketing stunt. (Do aliens know how to weld?) But wherever they’re coming from, they’re a fun distraction from the hellacious daily news cycle we’re used to dealing with this year.

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