Maps Show Where Mysterious Monoliths Have Popped Up Around World

One of the monoliths that have popped up in the U.S - this one stands on a Stadium Park hillside in Atascadero, California in 2020. The most recent monolith has been discovered in Colorado.

Another a mysterious monolith appeared in Colorado this week, adding to the long list of structures to have appeared on and off since 2020.

The tall, reflective structure showed up on private property in Bellvue, Fort Collins, in the past week in a similar way to how many others popped up across the globe at the end of 2020 and early 2021.

In the United States alone, around 38 have been spotted over the past four years, although not all standing.

Varying in shape and size, the monoliths have also shown up in Romania, the UK, Australia and India, among other countries.

While some have been the result of companies seeking to monopolize on the phenomenon, the origins of others have continued to be a mystery to this day.

The monoliths have appeared in various locations across the U.S., from state parks to the frontyards of private homes.

In Pennsylvania, a candy store drew attention by putting its own monolith up, as the craze swept the country in late 2020.

Another, in Lansing, Michigan, was etched with a website address, while the one installed in San Francisco on Dec. 25, 2020, was made out of gingerbread.

One of the first to be discovered, in Utah, had actually been sitting in the desert for around four years before it was spotted from a helicopter.

The monoliths outside the U.S. around the world have also been shrouded in mystery and intrigue.

When investigators went to look into an appearance in Kristiansand, Norway, in early December 2020, outside a lighting store, they found that the CCTV cut out at the moment the monolith appeared.

Others, like the one in Kampen, Germany, appeared one day and disappeared three days later.

In Rome, a structure appeared with incomprehensible writing on before it was eventually linked to a group of artists.

After early 2021, monolith appearances slowed and many disappeared, but debates around their origins continued, with some suggesting aliens might be behind the phenomenon.

Then, earlier this month in Las Vegas, a new monolith appeared in the desert and interest sparked once more.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department later removed the structure, citing public safety concerns.

"It is being stored at an undisclosed location while public authorities determine the most appropriate way to dispose/store the item," the department said on X.

"It remains unknown how the item got to its location or who might be responsible."

Start your unlimited Newsweek trial