Science The Theory Of The Humongous Stones Thread - Page 4

FAX · 06-15-2010, 11:47 PM

Whilst working this evening, I happened to have the TV tuned to the History Channel as they were re-airing a documentary on Ancient Aliens. Basically, it was the same old hash about huge, old monuments and the assumed difficulties involved in building them without the use of technology in some form or fashion ... blah, blah, ho hum, etc.

But then, all of a sudden, this one wacky dude made a statement that caught my attention. He said, "Why would the builders make their job so much more difficult by carving, transporting, and elevating these mammoth, individual stones?"

When you think about it, that's a darn good question. The weights we're talking about are formidable. For example, The Colossi of Memnon in Egypt are carved from two stones weighing an estimated 1000 tons each (some archaeologists peg them at 1200 tons each, actually).

Then there's the Stellae of Axum which weighs about 500 tons, the Ramesseum in Egypt which weighs in at an estimated 1000 tons, the 'Stone of the South' in Lebanon which is around 1200 tons, and the Unfinished Obelisk also in Egypt and also in the 1200 ton range. And these are just a few examples of enormous, megalithic stones which modern builders would have great difficulty manipulating in a construction setting.

The reason is that there are a variety of modern cranes rated to the 100- to 300-ton capacity. However, it takes a custom crane to lift anything beyond that tonnage. NASA, for example, had to build a custom crane with a lifting capacity of 430 tons to lift the shuttle. And, a New York engineering company has a specialty crane with a lift capacity of 500 tons that is used to lift other cranes to the top of high-rise construction sites. So far, I haven't identified any modern crane with the lift capacity to handle a 1000 ton rock. And, of course, that's just lifting ... not transporting, or manipulating the stone into place at the job site.

Okay, so these builders liked big rocks. I get that part. However, it's completely obvious that they could have used smaller stones that were easier to quarry, easier to transport, and far easier to use in construction to accomplish the same building objectives. So why did they choose to make their job so much more difficult by using these enormous stones?

The argument for many "ancient technology" theorists seems to be that the builders used big rocks because, for them, it just wasn't all that difficult ... in other words, they had super secret methods and means of which we modern dudes are unaware (like those used by the crazy Coral Castle guy, maybe).

I know that Planeteers understand building stuff, hauling stuff, and stacking stuff, so I thought I'd throw this thread out there to see what you guys think about the question. Is it possible that the ancients worked with megalithic stones because they had the ability to do so easily? Or, were they just making their slaves work their asses off for the sheer joy of it?

FAX

Disclaimers: Sorry if repost.

teedubya · 06-16-2010, 11:04 AM

So this ****ing Coral Castle guy figures something out that is badass... but then DOESN'T share the 411. What a Como.

Fish · 06-16-2010, 11:26 AM

The Coral Castle dude wasn't working with some secret technology. He simply did what most pass off as impossible because we live in an impatient society that relies on giant cranes and power tools to build things quickly. People have forgotten what can actually be accomplished with simple determination, calculation, and elbow grease.

I'm surprised how many people try to explain what they don't understand or don't think possible with the most off the wall illogical possible explanations....

Pants · 06-16-2010, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KC Fish

The Coral Castle dude wasn't working with some secret technology. He simply did what most pass off as impossible because we live in an impatient society that relies on giant cranes and power tools to build things quickly. People have forgotten what can actually be accomplished with simple determination, calculation, and elbow grease.

I'm surprised how many people try to explain what they don't understand or don't think possible with the most off the wall illogical possible explanations....

Have you actually seen any of the Ancient Aliens shows? I don't think you're understanding the scale here.

seclark · 06-16-2010, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KC Fish

The Coral Castle dude wasn't working with some secret technology. He simply did what most pass off as impossible because we live in an impatient society that relies on giant cranes and power tools to build things quickly. People have forgotten what can actually be accomplished with simple determination, calculation, and elbow grease.

I'm surprised how many people try to explain what they don't understand or don't think possible with the most off the wall illogical possible explanations....

^very correct^
my great uncle does stuff that amazes me. he'll suggest doing something, and i'll say, "piss on that...too much work/need a big tractor/take too long/etc. then a couple days later i'll go home and see that he's done what he suggested. old bastard moves telephone poles that are laying on the ground, skins black locust trees to kill them, changes tires on riding mowers w/o using a jack, etc.

drives me nuts, but he just sets his mind to do it, takes his time, step by step. gets it done.
sec

Fish · 06-16-2010, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Metrolike

Have you actually seen any of the Ancient Aliens shows? I don't think you're understanding the scale here.

Yes, I've seen the entire Ancient Aliens series, and I stand by my statement. There's some very interesting stuff on there. A lot that can't be easily explained. But still possible none the less.

**Gonzo** · 06-16-2010, 02:34 PM

Hey FAX, I'm going to hop in my Delorean, (sp?) and check it out. Brb buddy.
Posted via Mobile Device

**Gonzo** · 06-16-2010, 02:38 PM

Ok, I'm back. It's not good, either.
Just sit back and accept what our new overlords have for us in about 2 years.
ALL HAIL TEH JUPITORIANS!
Oh, and they moved those stones with Caterpillar tractors, btw.
Posted via Mobile Device

seclark · 06-16-2010, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gonzo

Ok, I'm back. It's not good, either.
Just sit back and accept what our new overlords have for us in about 2 years.
ALL HAIL TEH JUPITORIANS!
Oh, and they moved those stones with Caterpillar tractors, btw.
Posted via Mobile Device

jupitorians? is that near uranus?
sec

**Gonzo** · 06-16-2010, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seclark

jupitorians? is that near uranus?
sec

I have a feeling they will be.
Posted via Mobile Device

Pants · 06-16-2010, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seclark

jupitorians? is that near uranus?
sec

His anus is pretty big, I hear.

Stewie · 06-16-2010, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KC Fish

The Coral Castle dude wasn't working with some secret technology. He simply did what most pass off as impossible because we live in an impatient society that relies on giant cranes and power tools to build things quickly. People have forgotten what can actually be accomplished with simple determination, calculation, and elbow grease.

I'm surprised how many people try to explain what they don't understand or don't think possible with the most off the wall illogical possible explanations....

QFT! People back then had brains just like we do.

They never lifted xyz ton obelisks or any stone. It was all about leverage. Comparing cranes that can lift tons and what they did is stupid.

FAX · 06-16-2010, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stewie

Comparing cranes that can lift tons and what they did is stupid.

You'll change your tune when archaeologists dig up that big-ass ancient crane, Mr. Stewie.

Anyhow, have you ever seen the NOVA sponsored experiment and documentary in which a gaggle and a half of EngDs, master stonemasons, and Egyptologists attempted to quarry, transport, and elevate a 35 ton obelisk (not one of those 500 ton ones ... just a teensy one) using the materials and techniques the ancient Egyptians are believed to have used? The whole idea was to prove that it could be done.

It was very funny ... hilarious, really. A bunch of sweaty PhDs trying to screw a rock. They got nowhere. They couldn't even cut the stone, let alone move it an inch.

FAX

ToxSocks · 06-16-2010, 04:32 PM

Somewhat off subject here, but i don't think i wanna make a thread about it either.

Lets say, oh...20 years from now we develop a way to time travel. We time travel back 10,000 years into the past. While we are in the past, one of out time travelers drop a Year 2030 Nickel.

Then, in the year 2011, archeoligists discover this nickel.

Would the nickel be determined to be from the past, or the future? What would Carbon Dating show? How would this nickel fit in with any other artifacts from that area in that time period? How would that nickel change the future?

**DeezNutz** · 06-16-2010, 04:38 PM

If we funnel our collective consciousnesseseseseses, we might be able to move this thread off the front page.

ToxSocks · 06-16-2010, 04:38 PM

The reason I ask is: is it possible, that maybe, we develop methods of time travel in the future, and then go back in time and introduce "primitive" technologies to our ancestors in order to speed up out technological growth rate?

06-15-2010, 11:47 PM
FAX testing ... 1, 2, 3 Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Tennessee Casino cash: $6753759	The Theory Of The Humongous Stones Thread Whilst working this evening, I happened to have the TV tuned to the History Channel as they were re-airing a documentary on Ancient Aliens. Basically, it was the same old hash about huge, old monuments and the assumed difficulties involved in building them without the use of technology in some form or fashion ... blah, blah, ho hum, etc. But then, all of a sudden, this one wacky dude made a statement that caught my attention. He said, "Why would the builders make their job so much more difficult by carving, transporting, and elevating these mammoth, individual stones?" When you think about it, that's a darn good question. The weights we're talking about are formidable. For example, The Colossi of Memnon in Egypt are carved from two stones weighing an estimated 1000 tons each (some archaeologists peg them at 1200 tons each, actually). Then there's the Stellae of Axum which weighs about 500 tons, the Ramesseum in Egypt which weighs in at an estimated 1000 tons, the 'Stone of the South' in Lebanon which is around 1200 tons, and the Unfinished Obelisk also in Egypt and also in the 1200 ton range. And these are just a few examples of enormous, megalithic stones which modern builders would have great difficulty manipulating in a construction setting. The reason is that there are a variety of modern cranes rated to the 100- to 300-ton capacity. However, it takes a custom crane to lift anything beyond that tonnage. NASA, for example, had to build a custom crane with a lifting capacity of 430 tons to lift the shuttle. And, a New York engineering company has a specialty crane with a lift capacity of 500 tons that is used to lift other cranes to the top of high-rise construction sites. So far, I haven't identified any modern crane with the lift capacity to handle a 1000 ton rock. And, of course, that's just lifting ... not transporting, or manipulating the stone into place at the job site. Okay, so these builders liked big rocks. I get that part. However, it's completely obvious that they could have used smaller stones that were easier to quarry, easier to transport, and far easier to use in construction to accomplish the same building objectives. So why did they choose to make their job so much more difficult by using these enormous stones? The argument for many "ancient technology" theorists seems to be that the builders used big rocks because, for them, it just wasn't all that difficult ... in other words, they had super secret methods and means of which we modern dudes are unaware (like those used by the crazy Coral Castle guy, maybe). I know that Planeteers understand building stuff, hauling stuff, and stacking stuff, so I thought I'd throw this thread out there to see what you guys think about the question. Is it possible that the ancients worked with megalithic stones because they had the ability to do so easily? Or, were they just making their slaves work their asses off for the sheer joy of it? FAX Disclaimers: Sorry if repost.
Posts: 44,492

06-16-2010, 11:04 AM	#46
teedubya Most Valuable Poster Join Date: Oct 2003 Casino cash: $8993042	So this ****ing Coral Castle guy figures something out that is badass... but then DOESN'T share the 411. What a Como.
Posts: 36,832

06-16-2010, 11:26 AM	#47
Fish Ain't no relax! Join Date: Sep 2005 Casino cash: $-1411081	The Coral Castle dude wasn't working with some secret technology. He simply did what most pass off as impossible because we live in an impatient society that relies on giant cranes and power tools to build things quickly. People have forgotten what can actually be accomplished with simple determination, calculation, and elbow grease. I'm surprised how many people try to explain what they don't understand or don't think possible with the most off the wall illogical possible explanations.... __________________
Posts: 48,857

06-16-2010, 02:34 PM	#51
Gonzo Stuff & Things Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: The Yukon Casino cash: $10126924	Hey FAX, I'm going to hop in my Delorean, (sp?) and check it out. Brb buddy. Posted via Mobile Device
Posts: 21,498

06-16-2010, 02:38 PM	#52
Gonzo Stuff & Things Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: The Yukon Casino cash: $10126924	Ok, I'm back. It's not good, either. Just sit back and accept what our new overlords have for us in about 2 years. ALL HAIL TEH JUPITORIANS! Oh, and they moved those stones with Caterpillar tractors, btw. Posted via Mobile Device
Posts: 21,498

06-16-2010, 04:32 PM	#58
ToxSocks Needs more middle fingers Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Diego Casino cash: $2043063	Somewhat off subject here, but i don't think i wanna make a thread about it either. Lets say, oh...20 years from now we develop a way to time travel. We time travel back 10,000 years into the past. While we are in the past, one of out time travelers drop a Year 2030 Nickel. Then, in the year 2011, archeoligists discover this nickel. Would the nickel be determined to be from the past, or the future? What would Carbon Dating show? How would this nickel fit in with any other artifacts from that area in that time period? How would that nickel change the future? __________________ Life is like a dick. Sometimes it gets hard for no reason, but it can't stay hard forever.
Posts: 65,925

06-16-2010, 04:38 PM	#59
DeezNutz PermaBanned Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Jouissance Casino cash: $10011570	If we funnel our collective consciousnesseseseseses, we might be able to move this thread off the front page.
Posts: 47,521