Mystery rock from earth or alien spaceship?

Fri Apr 17, 2009 5:54 am » by **Vulcanic**

Everyone enjoys a good mystery and the gigantic boulder- its belly laced like an over-sized waffle grill - continues to baffle visitors who come to the West Virginia side of Jennings Randolph Lake.

Some say the underside clearly shows a massive radiation burn left by the grid of a space ship which may have touched down eons ago or even more recently, say, 1,000 years ago.

Others, mainly among the professional community, will explain it as a natural geological formation. They do admit such formations are quite rare. Actually, the only other similar patterned rock was found on the east side of Tea Creek Mountain in Pocahontas County, West Virginia.

Dr. Jack B. Epstein of the Geological Survey, U.S. Department of the Interior, writes that the rock comes from part of the Conemaugh geologic series that was deposited about 300 million years ago during the Pennsylvanian Period. He surmises it fell from a parent outcrop somewhere higher up the slope, much higher.

Geologists believe sand was deposited by ancient streams and later consolidated into hard rock or sandstone. Such sandstone and layers of rock, both above and below, were thrown into large folds during earth's period of mountain building, known as the Appalachian Orogeny.

During this massive upheaval, the rock was fractured into a regular pattern, which is referred to as joints. Thus formed the precise geometric, waffle-like pattern or grid on the rock. Geologists theorize that after the rock was fractured, iron oxide was leached from the surrounding rock by percolating water and then deposited into the joints where it filled the voids between the sand grains, cementing them together extra strongly.

Think of it as a massive mix that formed its grids through the resulting dark red sandstone near the joints, which was more resistant to erosion and weathering than the surrounding pieces.

Was the so-called "waffle rock" really mixed, blended and baked by Mother Nature for the puzzlement of the observer? Or, is the boulder actually evidence of alien visitors who came to this planet millions of years ago, on shall we say, a seeding expedition?

This is a boulder on display at Jennings Randolph Lake in Mineral County, West Virginia. There have been numerous theories and speculations as to its origin, ranging from a pictograph made by prehistoric man, an indian carving, the impression of the skin pattern of a giant lizard, or evidence of a visit to earth by an early travelers from outer space.

After examination of the phenomenon, Corps of Engineers geologists and those of other agencies have concluded that it is a natural geological formation. Although such formations are not common, similar patterned boulders were found on the east side of Tea Creek Mountain in Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Dr. Jack B. Epstein of the Geological Survey, U.S. Department of the interior, explained that the waffle rock is part of the Conemaugh geologic series that was deposited about 300 million years ago during the Pennsylvanian period.

It is surmised that the waffle rock is a large loose boulder that fell from a parent outcrop somewhere higher up the slope, many decades ago, before the present trees grew.

what do you think?

Fri Apr 17, 2009 6:04 am » by **Hesop**

What do I think?
Far Freakin out!

Fri Apr 17, 2009 12:34 pm » by **Drextin**

Yeah it kinda stretches the imagination to think it was created naturally.

Fri Apr 17, 2009 12:38 pm » by **Vulcanic**

drextin wrote:Yeah it kinda stretches the imagination to think it was created naturally.

yeah it does , i jump back and forth on this one (natural or not?) I'de like to see the other rock found like it, has anyone ever saw or heard anything on that?

Fri Apr 17, 2009 12:46 pm » by **bugmenot**

This is a boulder on display at Jennings Randolph Lake in Mineral County, West Virginia. There have been numerous theories and speculations as to its origin, ranging from a pictograph made by prehistoric man, an indian carving, the impression of the skin pattern of a giant lizard, or evidence of a visit to earth by an early travelers from outer space.

After examination of the phenomenon, Corps of Engineers geologists and those of other agencies have concluded that it is a natural geological formation. Although such formations are not common, similar patterned boulders were found on the east side of Tea Creek Mountain in Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Dr. Jack B. Epstein of the Geological Survey, U.S. Department of the interior, explained that the waffle rock is part of the Conemaugh geologic series that was deposited about 300 million years ago during the Pennsylvanian period. It is surmised that the waffle rock is a large loose boulder that fell from a parent outcrop somewhere higher up the slope, many decades ago, before the present trees grew.

Fri Apr 17, 2009 12:55 pm » by **Kurious**

Nature can display complex geometry all the time -

Giants causeway Ireland

Fri Apr 17, 2009 12:59 pm » by **Drextin**

vulcanic wrote:
drextin wrote:Yeah it kinda stretches the imagination to think it was created naturally.

yeah it does , i jump back and forth on this one (natural or not?) I'de like to see the other rock found like it, has anyone ever saw or heard anything on that?

Anything is possible for sure. But it looks so deliberate. Obviously the scientists are having a hard time with it as well. There explanations aren't very convincing.

Kurious,
Yes nature does create some truly amazing things. But the waffle pattern is not one that is replicated as often as the others. Columns are found in all shapes and sizes. This is a bit different. Though it may be natural I suspect if it is there is more to how it was made then the explanation at hand.

Fri Apr 17, 2009 1:19 pm » by **Vulcanic**

kurious wrote:Nature can display complex geometry all the time -

Giants causeway Ireland

very true,but still makes you wonder

Fri Apr 17, 2009 1:30 pm » by **Cornbread714**

Very strange indeed. I agree that Nature can produce some fantastic complex geometrical shapes, but this looks so, ...well, human in design.
300 million years is a helluva long time ago, though. Hard to say for sure exactly what was going on then.
Good post :flop:

Fri Apr 17, 2009 2:40 pm » by **Vulcanic**

cornbread714 wrote:Very strange indeed. I agree that Nature can produce some fantastic complex geometrical shapes, but this looks so, ...well, human in design.
300 million years is a helluva long time ago, though. Hard to say for sure exactly what was going on then.
Good post

lol yeah i agree,it's one of those things that no matter what answer you get it still gets stuck in your head keeps you thinking about it lol gotta love OOPart