A mysterious shiny 3m metal monolith has been discovered in the Utah desert in the United States, CNN affiliate KSL reported on Nov. 24, 2020.

Within a day of the news of the strange object's discovery, lively discussions on conspiracy theories and logical explanations for its appearance ensued.

What happened

A Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter crew was counting bighorn sheep on Nov. 18, 2020 when they spotted something strange from above.

“One of the biologists is the one who spotted it and we just happened to fly directly over the top of it,” pilot Bret Hutchings said.

“He was like, ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa, turn around, turn around!’ And I was like, ‘What.’ And he’s like, ‘There’s this thing back there – we’ve got to go look at it!’”

The crew, who were assisting Utah Division of Wildlife Resource officers, circled back.

They landed the helicopter to take a closer look.

What they saw was befuddling: A shiny metal monolith protruding from the ground tucked in a red rock cove.

“I’d say it’s probably between 10 and 12 feet-high,” Hutchings said.

“We were kind of joking around that if one of us suddenly disappears, then the rest of us make a run for it.”

Do not want others to seek it

The crew did not reveal the object's location and were intentionally vague about it.

This was to prevent adventurers from attempting to locate the monolith, which is in an area that people might get stuck in.

More art than alien

Hutchings said the object was firmly planted there, as it didn’t look like it was dropped into the ground from above.

“We were, like, thinking is this something NASA stuck up there or something. Are they bouncing satellites off it or something?” Hutchings questioned.

Hutchings said the object looked as if it was man-made and appeared as more of an art form than any kind of alien lifeform.

It also did not look like it had a scientific purpose to it.

“I’m assuming it’s some new wave artist or something or, you know, somebody that was a big (2001: A Space Odyssey) fan,” Hutchings said, referencing a scene in the movie.

Illegal to plant structures without authorisation

It is illegal to install structures or art without authorisation on public lands "no matter what planet you're from," Utah DPS said in a statement released Nov. 23, according to CNN.

The Bureau of Land Management will be deciding whether further investigation is needed.

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Photos via Utah Department of Public Safety