The Grand Canyon holds secrets that Scientists around the world have no idea How to explain from The elusive Mysterious caves where scientists Discovered animal figurines to the Discovery of the Supai Village believed To be home to Unique ancient people and Let's not forget the mystery of the Great and Conformity which is a gap in The Rock layers and represents a Significant time Gap from over a billion Years but the most interesting fact is Why NASA studies the Grand Canyon so Much and what we don't know about this Mysterious interest from NASA inside This area the Grand Canyon continues to Shock scientists all over the world so Let's explain what is really going on in The mysterious Grand Canyon in 1933 Archaeologist Howard s Colton led a team Of researchers from the Museum of Northern Arizona to investigate a series Of caves and rock shelters in the Grand Canyon the initial goal of this Expedition was to explore the geological History of the area and identify signs Of early human habitation what they Found however exceeded their Expectations and unveiled a significant Chapter of prehistoric archeology During their excavations in a location Known as Rampart cave the team Unearthed A particular artifact it was a small Animal figurine delicately fashioned

From a split twig its initial Discovery Was the first of many split twig Figurines to be found in the area The figurines were often discovered Carefully placed in dark crevices or Under overhangs suggesting they were Intentionally deposited in such Locations intriguingly the initial Findings were not immediately recognized For their archaeological value it wasn't Until later analysis and additional Discoveries that the true significance Of these objects began to be understood As more caves were explored more Figurines were discovered each one Confirming the prevalence of this unique Form of artifact in the area Since Colton's original Discovery Hundreds of split tweak figurines have Been found throughout the Grand Canyon Primarily within the Limestone caves That dot the canyon Wars these figurines Have been discovered in various states Of preservation with some nearly intact While others are fragmentary often due To rodent activity or the ravages of Time the meticulous process of Collecting documenting and preserving These fragile artifacts has offered a Fascinating and valuable look into the Past it is important to note that the Split twig figurines found in the Grand Canyon are remarkable for their detailed Craftsmanship given the materials on

Tools that would have been available to Their creators each figurine is Typically between three to four inches Long although some larger examples have Been found The figurines are made from a single Twig usually Willow or Cottonwood which Is split down the middle and carefully Fold it back on itself the intricacy of The figurines construction is Testament To the skills and patience of their Creators The creation process involves splitting The Twig lengthwise but not entirely the Unsplit part of The Twig would form the Animal's head the split Parts would then Carefully twisted and folded to form the Body and legs of the animal the two ends Of the split twig were often joined Together using a tiny wooden Peg to hold The structure in place additional twig Fragments were sometimes used to create The animal's legs while larger fragments Or additional Twigs could be used to Form the neck and head of larger animals Like deer or bighorn sheep these animals Not only provided food but also raw Materials such as height bone and sinew For Tool and clothing production a Meticulous crafting of these figurines And their animal forms suggest that they Held considerable significance for their Creators one of the most intriguing Characteristics of the split tweak

Figurines is the placement of a small Piece of pine pitch in the body of the Animal resembling an arrow this feature Has led many researchers to believe that The figurines had a ritualistic or Symbolic purpose potentially related to Hunting practices They could have been created as part of Rituals to ensure successful hunts or They may have served as talismans or Tokens of gratitude after a successful Hunt the pitch derived from pine trees Was likely chosen due to its adhesive Properties and its widespread Availability in the region these Figurines represent some of the oldest Known artifacts from the Grand Canyon a Testament to the enduring Legacy of Human activity in this imposing Landscape their existence aligns with The broader archaeological understanding Of the Archaic Period in the American Southwest a time of gradual cultural Development and increasingly complex Social structures among the Region's Inhabitants in addition the story of Supai Village's Discovery unfolds in Parallel with the broader Narrative of The exploration of the Grand Canyon the Discovery itself is multifaceted Involving not only geographical and Cartographic elements but also the Interactions between Western explorers And the have high Supai people who had

Resided in the area for centuries in the Annals of Western history the discovery Of Supai Village traces back to the late 19th century however it's essential to Acknowledge that this discovery didn't Take place in the vacuum have I Supai People whose name translates to people Of the blue green waters had inhabited The region for over 800 years before Their first recorded contact with Europeans Therefore The Village's Discovery by European settlers was more an Introduction to a foreign culture than a Revelation of an uninhabited place Initial records of the Havasupai people Interacting with the Europeans date back To 1776 when Spanish missionaries and Explorers Francesco and ateso Dominguez And Francisco cilovestra Valez de Escalante noted the tribe's existence During their expedition however this Brief Encounter led to no substantial Connections or further exploration of The region in the mid to late 19th Century the tide turned it was a time of Westwood expansion driven by the Philosophy of manifest Dynasty which Held that the United States was destined To span from the Atlantic to the Pacific Coast with this movement came greater Curiosity and exploration into the Unknown depths of the American frontier Including the Grand Canyon and its

Environs it was during this period that The first documented non-indigenous Exploration into the Hawaii Supai lands Occurred in 1880 cartographer Frederick S dellenbaugh embarked on an expedition That marked a significant shift in Western knowledge about the region Dillenbar and his team explored a map The Grand Canyon extensively a mission That inevitably LED them to the secluded Supai Village Their records of maps introduce Supai Village to Western Consciousness albeit With the caveats of colonial expansion Dellenbar's Expedition and others like It showcase the fertile and Lush Region's uniqueness characterized by its Cascading turquoise waterfalls Rich Vegetation and isolation although the Discovery of Supai Village by Western Explorers opened the region to outside Interaction the village and its Inhabitants maintained much of their Distinct lifestyle and culture the Seclusion of the village nestled within The grand Canyon's depths and the have I Super is people's resilience contributed Significantly to this preservation Nonetheless the discovery also set the Stage for challenging times ahead as Expanding Western interests would soon Infringe upon Havasupai lens the Isolation of Supai Village tugged away Eight miles deep within the rugged

Expanse of the Grand Canyon forms the Backdrop for its unique lifestyle and Culture The Village remains one of the Most remote communities in the Continental United States a reality that Has both preserved its culture and Shaped its resident's distinctive way of Life The Village's isolation has also Cultivated a unique cultural identity Within the Hava Supai their Traditions Language and rituals have largely Remained Untouched by outside influence This cultural preservation is Significant considering the waves of Change that have swept over many Indigenous communities in the face of Western expansion and modernization Moreover the Grand Canyon is like a huge History book of Earth's rocks where Layers of rocks are piled on top of each Other formed over millions of years However when you explore deep into the Canyon you'll stumble upon something Fascinating called the great Unconformity it's a gap in the Rock Layers that represents an astonishing Billion years in certain spots what Makes it even more peculiar is that this Great unconformity is found not only in The Grand Canyon but also in rocks all Over the world And surprisingly it always appears in Rocks from a specific period about 550 Million years ago and even older Bara

Peak a geology PhD student of the University of Colorado border explained That while there are many unconformities Found in different places it's quite Unusual to come across one that Represents such a significant time Gap From over a billion years ago to around 500 million years ago now Bara Peak and Her fellow researchers have discovered That in the Grand Canyon the missing Rock layers were erased due to a major Shift in the Earth's crust caused by the Breakup of a supercontinent This new information indicates that even Though the great unconformity appears in The Rocks worldwide the cause behind its Existence may vary from one location to Another The great unconformity is a gap where no Rocks are present but its age can be Determined by the Rocks above and below It Instead of focusing on the age of the Rock layers Bara Peak and her team were Interested when these rocks cooled down When rocks are deeply buried they Experience high pressure and heat However if they cool down it means they Are getting closer to the surface Because the Rocks above them are eroding Away according to Peak this Cooling and Exclamation process happens due to Erosion so their goal was to date the Erosion process itself rather than the

Formation of the rocks to achieve this The scientists examined the mineral Zircon within the rock to find trapped Helium helium is produced when uranium Changes into lead through radioactive Decay when the rocks are subjected to High heat helium can escape from the Mineral however in cooler rocks the Helium remains trapped by measuring the Layers of helium in a rock of a Particular age they could determine when That rock reached the surface and cooled Down Barrow Peak and her fellow Researchers examine the rock layers just Below the great unconformity which are Older than it at eight different Locations in the Grand Canyon they Wanted to determine when the Rocks above Were eroded away Surprisingly they discovered that the Timing of this erosion varied Significantly in the western parts of The canyon on average the Rocks cooled Down about 200 million years earlier Than in the eastern part which is Located within the Grand Canyon National Park what's more the size of the great Unconformity differs across the canyon It appears smaller to the east When it's at its smallest the gab covers Around 250 million years of missing Rock Layers but at its largest an astonishing 1.2 billion years of rock is absent from The record the overall understanding is

That the western part of the present-day Grand Canyon Rose to the surface Approximately 700 million years ago While the eastern part Rose closer to 500 million years ago However even with this General view There are significant variations of tens Or hundreds of millions of years in Areas that are only a short distance Apart the variability in timing was Likely caused by tectonic activity as Barrapeake explained around 1 billion Years ago the supercontinent rodinia Formed but it began to break apart Roughly 750 million years ago during This period the region of the Grand Canyon experienced a lot of stretching And pulling apart due to the continent Rifting Process resulted in a network of faults Across the area some of which can still Be seen in the Rocks today at that time As the continent was pulled apart it Created both elevated high points and Low basins in the landscape The high points had less sediment Deposited on them so their rocks were Exposed and became visible on the other Hand the basins collected sediment which Kept the rocks at their base buried and Protected from erosion this geological Process contributed to the complex and Varied rock formations we see in the Grand Canyon today barapik explained

That over millions of years erosion Would have occurred all across the Region however the amount of erosion Might have varied on smaller scales Covering areas of tens of kilometers Possibly more in some locations Currently the researchers are applying The same method to determine the age of The erosion that created the great Unconformity in other places across North America they plan to extend their Investigations Beyond North America's Borders The initial findings indicate that the Timing of the erosion differs Significantly even within the continent As Barra Peak pointed out Peak explained That their findings are indicating Something interesting instead of a Single Global cause for the great Unconformity it appears that numerous Events occurred during this period of Over a billion years is just a Coincidence that this gap of time aligns With the presence of the unconformity Everywhere in other words various Factors contributed to the formation of The great unconformity across different Locations rather than one single cause Affecting the entire planet Also it's interesting to point out that NASA conducts remote sensing studies Aerial surveys or geological research That involves capturing images or data

From satellites or aircraft that fly Over the Grand Canyon This research can Contribute to understanding Earth's Geological processes and changes over Time NASA's satellite observations and data Can be used to study various aspects of The earth such as land cover changes Erosion volcanic activity tectonic Movements and other geological processes That might be indirectly relevant to Understanding formations like the Grand Canyon by studying Earth's geology and Landforms scientists can gain insights Into the planet's history Evolution and Its interaction with natural forces it's Important to note that NASA collaborates With various scientific organizations And researchers worldwide the main goals For studying and exploring the Grand Canyon area from NASA is mysterious and Unknown so it's not publicly known why NASA is so interested in the Grand Canyon that's it for today subscribe to Our Channel and hit the notification Bell