Using advanced imaging technology, a team of archaeologists in Egypt have discovered an enormous empty space inside the Great Pyramid of Giza.
The astounding void measures nearly one hundred feet long and is being heralded as the most significant find from the legendary site in over a century.
Researchers managed to spot the chamber inside the structure by observing tiny particles called 'muons' as they washed over the structure and revealed the heretofore unseen room.
Within the confines of the pyramid, the chamber sits above an area known as the 'Grand Gallery' and appears to have been kept secret since the structure was constructed millennia ago.
As to what may be inside the void, archeologists concede that this remains a mystery, but they are hoping that experts may be able to advance some ideas after studying the data gleaned from the muon scans.
While the chance that the chamber contains treasures or perhaps something esoteric, like hidden ancient knowledge, is rather tantalizing, there is also the more mundane possibility that it is simply a structural design developed in the construction of the pyramid.
Unfortunately, it may be a while before we know the answer to what, if anything, is inside the space as the sacred status of the Great Pyramid makes a hands-on examination of the area particularly difficult.
With physically drilling into the area out of the question, the best bet for possibly accessing the chamber may be by way of a specially-designed robot which has only just begun being developed.
And so, for now, Egyptologists are left to speculate as to what the nature of the void might be and whether science can someday figure out a way to unravel the riddle without damaging the structure.
Should they pull off that feat, let's just hope that the final reveal doesn't resemble Al Capone's vault.
Source: The Guardian