Aliens? Lasers? Water? What Caused the Al Naslaa Rock to Split So Precisely?
Possessing petroglyphs up to 4000 years old, Al Naslaa’s central fissure is iconic.
Ancient Gods, Aliens, Lasers or Just Water?
These perfectly balanced boulders have been the subject of many an origin story, with perhaps the most bizarre being space aliens. Social media users, including news aggregate Acerca del Mundo on its Facebook page, have pondered whether the precise cut could have been made by alien visitors possessing advanced technology.
"Some believe that this is the creation of the ancient gods or aliens. Considering that the formation looks as if it had been cut by a well-aimed laser, some believe that an alien descended into the Tayma Oasis and shattered the rock with advanced technology not available to humans in the formation of it," Acerca del Mundo posted.
Others believe the rock sits upon a fault line. This theory posits that the split in the rock was created when a weak spot was affected by a shift in tectonic plates.
Another theory posits that a "joint" within the rock may have split. A joint is an area within a rock, in this case sandstone, that becomes worn away and then separates the larger formation. Notably, joints found within sandstone rocks like Al Naslaa are more likely to exhibit vertical separations.
Ancient Gods, Aliens, Lasers or Just Water?
These perfectly balanced boulders have been the subject of many an origin story, with perhaps the most bizarre being space aliens. Social media users, including news aggregate Acerca del Mundo on its Facebook page, have pondered whether the precise cut could have been made by alien visitors possessing advanced technology.
"Some believe that this is the creation of the ancient gods or aliens. Considering that the formation looks as if it had been cut by a well-aimed laser, some believe that an alien descended into the Tayma Oasis and shattered the rock with advanced technology not available to humans in the formation of it," Acerca del Mundo posted.
Others believe the rock sits upon a fault line. This theory posits that the split in the rock was created when a weak spot was affected by a shift in tectonic plates.
Another theory posits that a "joint" within the rock may have split. A joint is an area within a rock, in this case sandstone, that becomes worn away and then separates the larger formation. Notably, joints found within sandstone rocks like Al Naslaa are more likely to exhibit vertical separations.
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12 January 2023
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