Robotic Indiana Jones set to explore Pyramid of Cheops

Proving once again that Harrison Ford was an idiot to risk death by snake bite, blow dart, and Nazi in order to collect a few historical trinkets, archaeologists in Egypt are preparing to perform their next exploration of the Pyramid of Cheops at Giza from the comfort of an air-conditioned tent. Instead of trying to squeeze volunteer grad students or small children down the pyramid's narrow passageways, researchers from Egypt, Singapore, Britain, and Hong Kong will be using a camera-equipped robot to navigate the country's largest ancient structure when they attempt to unlock its secrets next February. A bulkier bot was employed for this same task during a similar expedition in 2002, and though it was able to drill through walls and identify a previously unknown chamber, multiple impediments prevented it from actually discovering what, if anything, lay within. It's still not clear how the newer robot will succeed where its predecessor failed -- after all, chances are slim that the pharaohs had robotic doggy doors built into their innermost sanctums -- but apparently the international team is confident that the upcoming mission has a better shot at solving this mystery. Experts are still torn over what will likely be found in the supposed resting place of Cheops himself, but after having watched a documentary on this very subject featuring Brendan Fraser, it seems pretty clear that our tomb raiding bot can expect numerous encounters with The Rock and/or killer mummies.

[Via The Raw Feed]

[Tripp @ Dec 1st 2006 1:40PM]

Hilarious... I definitely laughed out loud reading the end, good post.

[Hypenotist @ Dec 1st 2006 1:57PM]

Wow it's a bald Borat

[IWantTouchScreen @ Dec 1st 2006 1:59PM]

Colin Farell going for the Oscar with this one

[MichaelLC @ Dec 1st 2006 2:33PM]

Did they trick iRobot into this by claming they were looking for surviviors?

"You have to help! there maybe people in there. 2000yr old people, but still...."

[hypoxide @ Dec 1st 2006 2:55PM]

"However, despite their best attempts, the researchers failed to make the robot fit into the hole."

Caption reads: "DO NOT FIT. LOL"

[EatingPie @ Dec 1st 2006 3:00PM]

So THIS is why we aren't getting an Indiana Jones 4! Who said robots aren't already poised to take over the world? It's hopeless I say... Hopeless...

-Pie

[Nick @ Dec 1st 2006 3:19PM]

Couldn't they have just used a Roomba?

[RedBull Runner @ Dec 1st 2006 3:30PM]

Are they going to explore the place while cleaning it up a bit too?

All that dust, how dirty! Good thing we got our robot to clean it up

;p

[Matt B @ Dec 1st 2006 3:35PM]

Do they not know what happens when you disturb the dead?

[JS @ Dec 1st 2006 4:07PM]

Beware the curse of the pyramid: all robots that defile the temple will become domestic vacuum cleaners.

[rj @ Dec 1st 2006 4:25PM]

lol... great blog entry evan!

on a serious note... i've always found those pyramids fascinating. here's hoping they're successful and find some wonderful discoveries.

[John Stracke @ Dec 1st 2006 7:12PM]

Yeah, but how does it hold the whip?