Mysterious Stone Secrets in Saudi Arabia Uncovered

KAUST scientists have used deep learning algorithms to accelerate the examination of thousands of years old, giant, stone rectangles in the Saudi desert. "An international study showed that the huge, mysterious stone structures known as'Mustatil' (Arab word for'Rectangle') in northwestern Saudi Arabia, are among the oldest archeological ruins in the world," Saudi Minister of Culture, Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, said in a tweet in 2021. These historic sites, which are around 7,000 years old, bewildered researchers and scientists who have long sought to determine their nature and the reasons behind their construction. A recent study by the University of Cambridge suggested that these huge structures, comprising chambers, entrances, and seats, are more complicated than expected. For quicker results, researchers at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have used an artificial intelligence network to carry out a detailed geological survey in the region, which hasn't been sufficiently studied so far.