The Great Wall is not the only man-made object in China visible from space. With the naked eye - yes, but in general, in the vastness of the Chinese plains there is still a lot of interesting things that most of the inhabitants of the planet can see, perhaps, only from orbit.
And so, once again, one of the many satellites orbiting the planet, gave food for thought to all curious. In the Takla-Makan desert, the satellite discovered strange structures that are obviously of artificial origin.
A chain about eight kilometers long, built of large checkerboard squares, was seen on Google Maps. The discovery was made by Amelia Carolina Sparavigna, an employee of the Polytechnic University of Turin, who is considered one of the pioneers of so-called "home archeology" - a pseudo-scientific direction based on the use of the Internet and nothing more.
Previously, she had already made similar discoveries, for example, the researcher reported on ancient structures near Lake Titacaca, according to the archives of the Cornell University library. The strange object, according to the scientist's investigation, is located near the town of Charlyk, according to MIT Technology Review. The constituent elements of the chain are uneven squares, made up of many, either holes, or, conversely, earth embankments. The side of each is approximately 40 meters.
In China, we recall, have already found similar mysterious structures. A year ago, again, thanks to Google Maps, strange stripes and circles were discovered, whose origin and purpose is still a mystery. Then various assumptions were expressed: these are military infrastructure facilities, a testing ground for preparing an air strike on the United States, and even signs for UFOs or the legacy of an ancient civilization.
The current case, however, may not be so interesting. The Italian researcher is confident she has figured out the secret of the squares. Amelia Carolina Sparavigna studied all publicly available images of this area and came to the conclusion that the object appeared only around 2004. And recently, the Chinese authorities announced the discovery of nickel ore deposits in the region. So, according to the Italian researcher, the holes in the squares may be just traces of exploration. And in the coming years, according to the Italian, this place will be able to see the rapid development of a new industrial center.
Another explanation is also possible. For example, on this territory students of archeological faculties are "trained" to conduct excavations. It is too early to sweep aside more exotic versions, the readers of the publication note in the comments. For example, one suggested that this place is a secret burial of victims of some epidemic or dissidents. And as long as the opposite is not proved, those who wish, too, can not refuse the assumption of the alien origin of the squares.