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Surprising Science

Robot Snake Finds Pyramid Markings

A new 'micro snake' robot camera has found hidden hieroglyphs in the Great Pyramid of Giza that may help unlock the secrets of the pyramids and their complex chambers.

What’s the Latest Development?


After going unseen for 4,500 years, small hieroglyphs written in red paint on the floor of a small, hidden chamber of Egypt’s Great Pyramid of Giza have been captured by a new ‘micro snake’ camera which was built in Leeds. Egyptologists believe that, if deciphered, the markings could unlock the secrets of why tunnels, doors and secret chambers were built within pyramids such as this one.

What’s the Big Idea?

It’s not the first time robots have been used to gather evidence within the pyramid. In 1993, a robot discovered a small door set with metal pins, the first time any metal had been found inside the pyramid. And in 2002, a different robot filmed a small chamber blocked by a stone after managing to drill through the first stone block. The latest robot, built by engineer Rob Richardson from the University of Leeds, has a bendy camera that can see around corners, reports the New Scientist.


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