The wind beneath my obelisk

A bunch of amateur Egyptologists has made a self proclaimed breakthrough in their ongoing research into how the Egyptians actually managed to raise up such impressive stone monuments. While mainstream archeological thinking leans toward the blood,

A bunch of amateur Egyptologists has made a self proclaimed breakthrough in their ongoing research into how the Egyptians actually managed to raise up such impressive stone monuments. While mainstream archeological thinking leans toward the blood, sweat and tears of thousands of slaves, Maureen Clemmons and her team think the solution was a little more elegant - wind power.

More accurately, Clemmons believes that large kites and elaborate pulley systems were the solution. Scoff all you like, but she, along with a mess of enthusiastic CalTech students have at least proven the theory as sound, by lifting up a four tonne obelisk in the Mojave Desert using a large, ultralight kite. Next on Clemmons' agenda is the raising of a 340 tonne obelisk using only four kites, a pulley system, and a 30 mile per hour wind.

And while serious Egyptologists are still scoffing, there are governments around the world that are interested in utilising the kite and pulley method for modern constructions. Students from the Mexican University of del Sol are travelling north to learn from the kite builders, and no doubt many third world countries can better afford kites than they can 'modern' building equipment. It's nice to remember, that even in the high tech age, low tech solutions still have a place.