Egyptian pyramids found by infra-red satellite images

Post by Jun8 » Wed, May 25, 2011, 9:50 PM UTC

NickPollard wrote: post #38

Jun8 wrote: post #19

Is it me or does news like this throw anyone else into a frenzy of daydreaming for a short while: using my computer expertise to enhance infrared images to reveal hitherto unknown pyramids (combining images from multiple spectral bands, SIFT object detection), battling with corrupt local authorities and looters, digging for the pyramid (and unfortunately losing a few of the team when the tunnel gives in), deciphering…

Obligatory xkcd: http://xkcd.com/208/ It seems we've reached the point where there's an xkcd for every situation (on HN at least) now. Maybe a corollary to rule 34[1] is needed. [1] http://xkcd.com/305/

Post by ra » Wed, May 25, 2011, 11:54 PM UTC

shii wrote: post #35

ra wrote: post #12

It's fascinating how many relics of ancient civilisation are concentrated in that part of the world. Many presenting puzzles yet to be solved.

On that line, by far the most intriguing and fascinating structure or relic from ancient human history is the site at Göbekli Tepe[1], in modern day Turkey. Shakes up pretty much every theory and timeline we have constructed on how humans probably developed over time and is much too early to fit in anywhere. [1]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%B6bekli_Tepe

Post by daniel1980fl2 » Thu, May 26, 2011, 4:32 AM UTC

mseebach wrote: post #5

unwantedLetters wrote: post #3

I wonder how they get permission to scour Egypt with a satellite camera. And even if permission was given, will Egyptian authorities allow control of the satellite and the images captured to remain with a university outside the country? Anyone have a better idea how this process works?

I don't think you need permission to take pictures of a country from space.

Post by mturmon » Thu, May 26, 2011, 6:27 AM UTC

hugh3 wrote: post #15

JonnieCache wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Denser == absorbs more of the light/different regions of the spectrum. This is detectable in the light that is reflected back. It's not dissimilar to how an ultrasound scanner is used to look at a baby in the womb. In fact, ultrasound is used in archaeology as well to do this sort of stuff, obviously on a smaller scale. This is the wikipedia page you want: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infrared_spectroscopy Although t…

I am a physicist, and I'm afraid that the page on infra-red spectroscopy isn't really relevant due to (as you say) the very different length scales. What I think is really going on is thermodynamics. Suppose I bury a big stone pyramid under the sand. Stone is (I assume) a much better conductor of heat than sand. When the sun comes up after a cold night, it heats the sand, but the sand on top of the pyramid has its he…

Post by Groxx » Thu, May 26, 2011, 7:01 AM UTC

mturmon wrote: post #47

hugh3 wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am a physicist, and I'm afraid that the page on infra-red spectroscopy isn't really relevant due to (as you say) the very different length scales. What I think is really going on is thermodynamics. Suppose I bury a big stone pyramid under the sand. Stone is (I assume) a much better conductor of heat than sand. When the sun comes up after a cold night, it heats the sand, but the sand on top of the pyramid has its he…

Alternate theory: the material scooped and dumped to cover the pyramid has different thermal characteristics than the pre-existing soil surrounding the site. That is, it's not the pyramid that stands out, it's the covering. I don't know, just formulating another hypothesis for the fun of it.