---
title: "A Third Monolith Just Appeared in California"
description: "A third monolith appeared on top of Pine Mountain in Atascadero, California, as spotted by local news correspondent Connor Allen. "
date: "2020-12-03"
modified: "2020-12-03"
authors:
  - name: "Victor Tangermann"
    job_title: "Senior Editor"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/third-monolith-appeared-california"
categories:
  - "Robots and Machines"
tags:
  - "california"
  - "monolith"
  - "the digest"
---

# A Third Monolith Just Appeared in California

![A third monolith appeared on top of Pine Mountain in Atascadero, California, as spotted by local news correspondent Connor Allen. ](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/third-monolith-appeared-california.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: Courtesy of Luke Phillips\</em\>*

## Here We Go Again

Okay, seriously, who's doing this? Knock it off.

A third monolith has appeared on top of Pine Mountain in Atascadero, California, as spotted by local news correspondent Connor Allen.

https://twitter.com/connorcallen/status/1334255906305921026?s=10

## Freestanding

Unlike the "amateur welder" travesty that was the [second monolith](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/mysterious-monolith-romania>) found near a famous archeological site in northern Romania, this monolith appears to be as pristine as — or perhaps even shinier than — the [first one, discovered](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/scientists-discover-mysterious-metal-monolith-wilderness>) in the Utah wilderness late last month.

Is it a marketing stunt? Aliens playing a joke? We still have zero clarity on the origins or purpose behind the strange structures.

It's the same triangular design made out of stainless steel, and stands about ten feet tall. Strangely, this monolith wasn't anchored to the ground like the one found in Utah and could easily "be knocked over with a firm push" [according to local news outlet *Atascadero News*](<https://atascaderonews.com/news/mystery-obelisk-appears-on-pine-mountain/>).

## Poof

If past is prelude, we'll now be waiting for the roughly 200 pound installation to disappear overnight — [just like the ones](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/mystery-monolith-disappears>) found in the Utah and Romania.

While we don't know how the Romanian monolith disappeared, we have a first-hand account of how a [gang of four men](<https://futurism.com/men-apparently-stole-monolith>) toppled over the one in Utah late Friday evening and taking it with them.

**READ MORE:** [New mysterious monolith appears in California](<https://www.cnet.com/news/new-mysterious-monolith-appears-in-california/#ftag=CAD590a51e>) \[*CNET*\]

**More on monoliths:** *[A Gang of Men Apparently Stole the Utah Monolith](<https://futurism.com/men-apparently-stole-monolith>)*

## Author
I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida.

### Author social links  
[Bluesky](<https://bsky.app/profile/vtanger.bsky.social>)